With the IHSA’s updated enrollment classification policy announced Tuesday, Orion will drop from 2A to 1A in four-class sports in the 2025-26 school year.
Every postseason-participating team with a classification enrollment of 300 students or less will be 1A in boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, and volleyball. A school’s classification enrollment is defined as its enrollment from the previous academic year from the Illinois State Board of Education.
Orion’s classification enrollment for 2025-26 is 281. Bureau Valley and Knoxville will also fall from 2A to 1A in four-class sports.
There’s also potential for Alleman to compete at the 1A level in some four-class sports for the first time. Alleman’s classification enrollment is 285, which means if the school is granted a waiver of the 1.65 multiplier to non-boundaried schools, it would be classified in 1A.
Private schools are automatically subject to the multiplier in a specific sport if the school has won a sectional semifinal game within the past three years. Alleman will remain in 2A in girls basketball, but the Western Big 6 representative will be eligible to be waived of the multiplier in boys basketball and volleyball to drop to 1A. If Alleman doesn’t win a sectional semifinal game in baseball or softball this spring, those programs would also be able to apply for a waiver to be classified in 1A.
For a look at 2025-26 IHSA classification enrollments for all schools, click here.