The new IHSAA sectionals are out. Here are the changes for Southwestern Indiana.

EVANSVILLE — The Indiana High School Athletic Association released official sectional assignments for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years for football, basketball, soccer and volleyball on Tuesday.

There are several changes coming in Southwestern Indiana, notably in football. Some were expected based on geography and numerical balance. Others remained a mystery until this week.

Below is every sectional assignment for Evansville-area schools in the aforementioned sports and thoughts on the groupings. Baseball and softball will be determined this summer following the state tournaments.

More: Here are the IHSAA softball sectional pairings for Southwestern Indiana

FOOTBALL

• Class 5A Sectional 16: Castle, Floyd Central, New Albany, North
• Class 4A Sectional 24: Boonville, Bosse, Central, Harrison, Jasper, Reitz, Washington
• Class 3A Sectional 32: Gibson Southern, Heritage Hills, Mater Dei, Memorial, Mount Vernon, Princeton, Southridge, Vincennes Lincoln
• Class 2A Sectional 39: Brown County, Greencastle, Linton-Stockton, Mitchell, North Posey, Pike Central, South Vermillion, Sullivan
• Class 2A Sectional 40: Brownstown Central, Clarksville, Crawford County, Eastern (Pekin), Paoli, Salem, Switzerland County, Tell City
• Class 1A Sectional 48: Forest Park, North Daviess, North Knox, Perry Central, Providence, Springs Valley, South Spencer, Tecumseh

Analysis: Start with the obvious: Sectional 32 is loaded. Five of those programs have played for (or won) a state championship within the past seven years. The group will be a challenge regardless of the draw. The lower classes are also widely different – the IHSAA split what was left of Sectional 40 – with several schools moving up or down. Sectional 24 also remains seven teams with Washington joining and Bedford North Lawrence leaving (after one year).

BOYS BASKETBALL

• Class 4A Sectional 16: Castle, Harrison, North, Reitz
• Class 3A Sectional 31: Gibson Southern, Jasper, Princeton, Southridge, Vincennes Lincoln, Washington
• Class 3A Sectional 32: Boonville, Bosse, Central, Heritage Hills, Memorial, Mount Vernon
• Class 2A Sectional 47: Eastern Greene, Linton-Stockton, North Knox, South Knox, Sullivan, West Vigo
• Class 2A Sectional 48: Forest Park, Mater Dei, North Posey, Perry Central, Pike Central, South Spencer, Tell City
• Class 1A Sectional 62: Barr-Reeve, Loogootee, Medora, North Daviess, Orleans, Shoals, Vincennes Rivet, Washington Catholic
• Class 1A Sectional 64: Cannelton, Evansville Christian, Evansville Day, Northeast Dubois, Springs Valley, Tecumseh, Wood Memorial

Analysis: There was some speculation Sectional 16 could include the Bloomington schools. Instead, the IHSAA made it a four-team group around Evansville; other four-class sports followed the same structure. Central moves neatly into Sectional 32 and likewise with Mater Dei in Sectional 48. Gibson Southern and Heritage Hills were also flipped in 3A. An interesting move but not a shock. The Titans join county rival Princeton and the Patriots return to their old group.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

• Class 4A Sectional 16: Castle, Gibson Southern, Harrison, North, Reitz
• Class 3A Sectional 31: Jasper, Princeton, Southridge, Vincennes Lincoln, Washington
• Class 3A Sectional 32: Boonville, Bosse, Central, Heritage Hills, Memorial, Mount Vernon
• Class 2A Sectional 47: Eastern Greene, Linton-Stockton, North Knox, Sullivan, South Knox
• Class 2A Sectional 48: Forest Park, Mater Dei, North Posey, Perry Central, Pike Central, South Spencer, Tell City
• Class 1A Sectional 62: Barr-Reeve, Loogootee, Medora, North Daviess, Orleans, Shoals, Vincennes Rivet, Washington Catholic
• Class 1A Sectional 64: Cannelton, Evansville Christian, Northeast Dubois, Springs Valley, Tecumseh, Wood Memorial

Analysis: Sectional 16 jumps off the page with defending state champion Gibson Southern moving up due to the success factor. This new group averaged 14.4 wins last season. Sectional 32 will be interesting the next two years with the addition of Central and Heritage Hills to pair with annual contender Memorial. Also keep an eye on 48 with Mater Dei returning.

VOLLEYBALL

• Class 4A Sectional 16: Castle, Harrison, North, Reitz
• Class 3A Sectional 31: Gibson Southern, Jasper, Princeton, Southridge, Vincennes Lincoln, Washington
• Class 3A Sectional 32: Bosse, Boonville, Central, Heritage Hills, Memorial, Mount Vernon
• Class 2A Sectional 47: Barr-Reeve, Eastern Greene, Linton-Stockton, North Knox, South Knox, Sullivan
• Class 2A Sectional 48: Forest Park, Mater Dei, North Posey, Perry Central, Pike Central, South Spencer, Tecumseh, Tell City
• Class 1A Sectional 62: Loogootee, Medora, North Daviess, Orleans, Shoals, Vincennes Rivet
• Class 1A Sectional 64: Cannelton, Evansville Christian, Northeast Dubois, Springs Valley, Wood Memorial

Analysis: The 4A and 3A sectionals are identical to basketball. Tecumseh, playing up after back-to-back appearances in the 1A state championship, and Mater Dei shake up Sectional 48. Barr-Reeve also returns to Sectional 47 after a two-year stint in 3A. Other minor moves include moving Springs Valley to a different sectional for balance.

BOYS SOCCER

• Class 3A Sectional 16: Castle, Central, Harrison, Jasper, North, Reitz
• Class 2A Sectional 31: Gibson Southern, Pike Central, Princeton, Southridge, Vincennes Lincoln, Washington
• Class 2A Sectional 32: Boonville, Bosse, Heritage Hills, Mater Dei, Memorial, Mount Vernon
• Class 1A Sectional 46: Barr-Reeve, North Knox, Northeast Dubois, South Knox, Vincennes Rivet, Washington Catholic
• Class 1A Sectional 48: Evansville Christian, Evansville Day, Forest Park, North Posey, South Spencer, Tell City, Wood Memorial

Analysis: Most of the same groupings as the previous two years. Only minor changes were restructuring in 1A.

GIRLS SOCCER

• Class 3A Sectional 16: Castle, Central, Harrison, Jasper, Memorial, North, Reitz
• Class 2A Sectional 31: Gibson Southern, Princeton, Southridge, Vincennes Lincoln, Washington
• Class 2A Sectional 32: Boonville, Bosse, Heritage Hills, Mater Dei, Mount Vernon
• Class 1A Sectional 46: Bloomfield, North Knox, Sullivan, Vincennes Rivet, White River Valley
• Class 1A Sectional 47: Forest Park, Northeast Dubois, South Knox, Tell City, Washington Catholic
• Class 1A Sectional 48: Evansville Christian, North Posey, Pike Central, South Spencer, Wood Memorial

Analysis: Sectional 16 becomes tougher with the addition of Memorial (success factor) and Jasper — three of the seven were sectional champions last fall. The interesting moves come elsewhere with Gibson Southern moving out of 32 and Mater Dei taking the spot. This led to several changes in 1A with Forest Park moving to 47 and splitting the Knox County schools. There's an open path for several teams to advance.

Follow Courier & Press sports reporter Kyle Sokeland on X (formerly Twitter) @kylesokeland.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: The new IHSAA sectionals are out. Here are the changes for Southwestern Indiana.