NJSIAA Enforces Competitive Balance Rule: Manasquan Boys/Girls and Colts Neck Boys Basketball Moved Up in Classification

In recent years, non-traditional public schools have become a hot topic in New Jersey athletics due to their potential to create an unequal playing field. The NJSIAA sought to counteract the ever changing landscape by enacting the Competitive Balance Policy in football, boys basketball, and girls basketball while eyeing the possibility of instituting the policy in other sports in the near future. The association has classified non-traditional public schools into three distinct categories:

1. Non-Defined Geographic Area

Charter Schools, Choice Schools, and Schools that Permit Tuition-Paying Students

2. County-Based Geographic Area

County Vocational-Technical Schools, County Magnet/Academy Schools, Schools with Satellite Campuses for County-Based Academies

3. School Districts with Open Enrollment Policies

School districts with multiple high schools that allow the student to choose what school to attend

Schools that fit into these categories have the potential to be bumped up in group classification based on a formula of success points outlined by the NJSIAA on page 7-9 here.

 

The NJSIAA determined that nine boys basketball programs and four girls basketball programs were found to have non-traditional enrollment policies and met the success point criteria to be moved up a full group classification for the 2026 season, as first reported by  Varsity Aces.

 

Boys Basketball

Camden (Group 2 to Group 3)

Colonia (Group 3 to Group 4)

Colts Neck (Group 3 to Group 4)

Essex County Tech (Group 1 to Group 2)

Manasquan (Group 2 to Group 3)

Middle Township (Group 2 to Group 3)

Ramapo (Group 3 to Group 4)

Shabazz (Group 1 to Group 2)

Thrive Charter (Group 1 to Group 2)

 

Girls Basketball

Arts (Group 1 to Group 2)

Cherry Hill West (Group 3 to Group 4)

Manasquan (Group 2 to Group 3)

Middle Township (Group 2 to Group 3)

 

Colts Neck, which won the 2025 Group 3 state title, was automatically moved up due to the academy school program in the Freehold Regional School District that allows students to apply to the six schools in the district.

Manasquan, which won the 2025 Group 2 boys state title and the 2025 and 2026 Group 2 girls state title, was moved up due to the state determining that there was at least one tuition-paying student on each roster. Schools that permit tuition-paying students are required to submit their roster to the NJSIAA and attest to how each student is enrolled.