SCC Approves Realignment of Divisions

The Southern Connecticut Conference Board of Governors voted 20-3 on Tuesday to approve a two-year scheduling “pilot” that will realign divisions in seven sports — boys/girls soccer, girls volleyball, boys/girls basketball, baseball and softball.

Following play in the 2015-16 academic year, the SCC will realign schools in the current four-divisional format in each of the seven sports, and will be in place for two seasons (2016-17 and 2017-18).

Teams will be scheduled at least 16 games (8 divisional, 6 crossovers and two interdivisional games) in all sports, except boys and girls soccer which will get 14.

In each sport, teams will be ranked from 1 to 20 and placed in the respective divisions (see below). The ranking of the teams will be overseen by the league’s Scheduling Committee and will apply several factors – including a 5-year league and overall record, size of school, and success in league and state tournament play.

It is the second time since the league’s inception in 1994 that the SCC has realigned these seven sports. In 2004-05, the league went from three to four divisions with the addition of the two Milford-based schools (Foran and Jonathan Law).

Currently, the names of the four divisions are Hammonasset, Housatonic, Oronoque and Quinnipiac. The “realigned’ division names may change, and will be determined in the near future, according to SCC Commissioner Al Carbone.

Under the new format, teams ranked No. 1, 5, 9, 13 and 17 will be in one division, teams ranked 2, 6, 10, 14 and 18 will be in the next division, teams ranked No. 3, 7, 11, 15, and 19 will be in another division, and teams ranked 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 will be in the final division.

Ex. The #1 team will play home/away games against its divisional opponents (5, 9, 13 and 17) and crossover matchups with (2,3 and 4). The remaining two “interdivisional” games will be determined by the league’s Scheduling Committee.