Area coaches frustrated after WIAA votes down shot clock, state tournament expansion

There are certain things that have always held true.

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

Food, water and shelter are fundamental and unchanging basic human needs.

And the WIAA has always moved at a snail’s pace, alienating many of its members along the way.

That was the case again last week as the WIAA’s Advisory Council voted down recommendations from its basketball coaches to implement the shot clock and expand the number of state tournament qualifiers to eight in all five divisions.

Recommendations that earned majority vote from the Advisory Council advanced to the WIAA Board of Control for another vote. Then, the recommendations that received majority vote from the Board of Control would have been implemented for the 2025-26 season.

With a majority of coaches in favor of both a shot clock and state tournament expansion, many were both frustrated and exasperated by the WIAA’s decision.

“I can’t begin to express how disappointed I am in the WIAA for once again failing to listen to its membership,” said Madison Memorial boys basketball coach Steve Collins, who’s led the Spartans to three state titles and 10 trips to state since 2004. “The WIAA continually claims to be an ‘association-run’ organization. But when it consistently ignores the voices of its stakeholders, that claim rings hollow.”

Collins certainly has a point.

Let’s start with state tournament expansion.

An overwhelming 90.9% of the 438 coaches surveyed by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association supported a format that expanded the tournament from four teams to eight in each of the five divisions.

Members of the WIAA Coaches Advisory Committee passed the proposal, 7-0. The Sports Advisory Committee then voted 7-6 to move it along.

The WIAA Executive Staff — which is advisory only — voted ‘No’ for this recommendation, though. Then the Advisory Council killed the proposal before it reached the Board of Control.

“I was disappointed to see the results of the vote on this,” said Mount Horeb boys coach Todd Nesheim, who led the Vikings to a state title in 2015. “I think tournament expansion was important for the state of Wisconsin to keep up with neighboring states in terms of the number of teams that qualify for the state tournament.” 

Bordering states Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois all have 32 total teams — four divisions of eight — that reach the state tournament. Michigan and Indiana also have 32 teams that qualify for state (four divisions of eight), while Ohio has 28 state qualifying teams (seven divisions of four).

From 1991-2010, Wisconsin’s tournament included eight teams in Division 1, and four from Divisions 2-4. Then the WIAA added a fifth division in 2011, and made all five divisions four teams. 

With 91% of Wisconsin coaches supporting expansion of the state tournament, they believed now was the time for change. Instead, the WIAA shot down that idea.

“Every other state surrounding us has a much higher level of participation at the state tournament level,” Middleton boys coach Kevin Bavery said. “Minnesota and Iowa are proportionally about double the teams advancing to state compared to what Wisconsin has. We have more schools, but they have more schools going to state.

“Again this is a common sense, no-brainer type of move to make for the benefit of kids and communities. If the WIAA doesn't agree with the layout, then it would be great for them to give feedback as to what their ideas are for expansion. We are archaic in our Midwest region in terms of state tournament representation.”

Many coaches were also disappointed that shot clock adaptation didn’t pass.

Currently, 27 states have adopted a shot clock in some capacity. Many other states are in the process of adopting or experimenting with shot clocks. 

For example, Kansas will implement shot clocks in Classes 6A, 5A, and 4A starting in the 2025-26 season, while Illinois will do so starting the following year. By the start of the 2026-27 season, at least 31 states are expected to be using the shot clock.

In 2022, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) approved state adoption of a 35-second shot clock in girls and boys basketball. Since that time, debate has ensued on the need for a shot clock at the high school level.

Proponents believe it will eliminate stalling tactics, make the game more entertaining and help student participants get to the next level. Opponents counter with a concern that fundamentals will be lost among a frenetic pace that can lead to sloppy play, along with cost and finding enough qualified people to run the clock.

“I have stayed pretty neutral on this subject,” Nesheim said. “I see it from both sides. Most neighboring states have gone to this concept and many feel that this would improve the game of basketball. Aesthetically, many feel it would be a better game to watch and more exciting.

“Some say from a skill perspective, that kids will become better at the skill piece of the game to keep up with end of the shot clock situations. And even more say that it will help kids that go onto college be ready from that perspective.

“On the flipside, I see the importance of not having one from a strategy standpoint. I’ll use our own program as an example. In my first few years, the only chance we had in competing with the Waunakee’s of the world was to have long possessions and shorten the game. With a shot clock, that opportunity is taken away from a coach to do what is best for his team.” 

Wisconsin coaches brought two recommendations to the table:

The first was the option to use a shot clock in the 2025-26 season for non-conference games. That recommendation passed 6-1 from the Coaches Committee and 11-2 at the Sports Advisory level. The Executive Staff was ‘Split’ on the idea and the Advisory Council eventually voted it down.
The second recommendation was to implement the 35-second shot clock in all regular season and tournament games in the 2027-28 season. The Coaches Committee voted 6-1 to advance that recommendation, and the Sports Advisory moved it along by a 7-6 vote. The Executive Staff was ‘Split’ on the idea again, before the Advisory Council killed the measure.

Bavery, a leading voice for adding a shot clock, was extremely frustrated by the outcome.

“There was a proposal to pilot it this season,” Bavery said. “One example would be for us to play at Oregon High School in a non-conference again this season. They have shot clocks. Both teams and the officials agree, why not? Every division in the state, D1 thru D5, supports that. And the WIAA didn't pass it.

“My opinion is that if that passed, the momentum would have grown quickly and strongly for implementing it. For some reason the decision-makers don't want that. That's an antiquated approach to me when you go in direct defiance of what your membership wants.”

The WBCA surveyed head coaches about piloting the shot clock in the 2025-26 season, and an overwhelming majority favored the move.

Division 1: 87.4%

Division 2: 92.9%

Division 3: 77%

Division 4: 69.5%

Division 5: 58.7%

Instead, the WIAA voted down the measure.

"Every state that has implemented the shot clock has said that it was easier than they thought, the obstacles of cost and running the clock have been non-issues, and they would not want to play the game without it,” Bavery said. “To me it's been a no-brainer for so long, and the results no matter how much the support is growing remain the same. It's very discouraging and frustrating.”

Collins shared Bavery’s frustration — and said the WIAA needs to start listening to its members instead of continually ignoring them.

“The WIAA needs to recognize that times are changing — and fast,” Memorial’s Collins said. “If the organization refuses to evolve and respond to the needs of its membership, it’s only a matter of time before another association steps in to fill that void. Just look at how much the state basketball tournament has changed over the years.

“Schools and districts won’t hesitate to explore other options if their voices continue to be ignored. Don't assume the status quo will last forever. Change is coming — whether the WIAA is ready for it or not.”

The WIAA did approve the following changes in boys and girls basketball:

• After years of refusing to tell coaches the formula used to determine electric seeding in the postseason, the factors will finally be revealed. They’ll include: Own winning % and overall strength of schedule (opponent's winning %, opponent's opponent's winning %, defeated opponent's winning % and defeated opponent's opponent's winning %).

The weights of winning percentage and overall strength of schedule will be published in the season regulations.

• The Board approved a recommendation to release unofficial preliminary electronic seeds for the girls tournament in Week 30 and for the boys tournament in Week 31. In addition, beginning in 2025-26, head-to-head contest results will be reviewed for all consecutive seeds, and when virtual statistical ties occur among three or more teams, head-to-head results will be reviewed among all respective tied teams.

The WIAA passed a handful of measures in wrestling, including:

• The wrestling tournament series for the 2025-26 season will balance the number of qualifiers across divisions, eliminate the regional round of the tournament competition and replace the Tuesday team sectional with an expanded team sectional on the second Saturday of the Tournament Series.

Two of the approved changes impact girls wrestling only. The first allows programs with seven or fewer total wrestlers to request a waiver to have the opportunity to practice with up to three other teams for no more than two times per week during the regular season. The second assigns four regionals per sectional during the Tournament Series beginning in 2025-26.