A month after Section 1 moved to ban private schools from its postseason tournaments, the four schools that would have been impacted got a reprieve from the state.
In a unanimous decision by its appeal panel on July 27, the New York State Public High School Athletic Association overturned the Section 1 ruling that would have barred Albertus Magnus, The Ursuline School, Keio Academy and The Leffell School from competing in the sectional playoffs.
Section 1 member schools had voted overwhelmingly in June to amend its constitution, precluding private schools from participating in the playoffs against local public school teams beginning in the 2027-28 school year. That proposal, which needed a two-thirds majority, passed by a 69-4 margin.
However, three of the impacted schools turned to the governing body of high school sports in the state, which upheld their appeal, concluding that Section 1 had overstepped its authority granted under the NYSPHSAA constitution.
“This decision affirms the importance of fairness, consistency, and due process in educational athletics,” Ursuline School president Dr. Colleen Melnyk said in a news release Monday. “We are grateful to the Appeal Panel for its careful review and to Albertus Magnus and Keio Academy for their partnership throughout this process. We now look forward to moving ahead in a spirit of collaboration and continuing to provide meaningful opportunities for all student-athletes.”
It’s not yet known what, if any, steps Section 1 will take in response. The Journal News/lohud is awaiting response from section administrators.
“The NYSPHSAA Appeal Panel is responsible for conducting a thorough review of all documentation submitted by the parties and considering the presentations made by both the schools and the Section before rendering a decision in accordance with the NYSPHSAA Constitution, Rules, and Regulations,” NYSPHSAA executive director Robert Zayas wrote in a statement to lohud.
Section 1 had lobbied in recent years for NYSPHSAA to establish separate postseason tournaments for public and non-public schools statewide, but there wasn’t much support for that from the other 10 geographic sections. In an April vote to adjust the current structure, only Section 2 (Albany area) and Section 4 (Binghamton area) stood in support of Section 1’s push. That roadblock prompted Section 1 to amend its own constitution in an attempt to force the change.
This, of course, stems from the longstanding argument that private school athletic departments don’t operate under the same restrictions as public schools and have an unfair advantage in being able to draw talent from beyond their district boundaries.
The Albertus Magnus girls basketball team went undefeated against local opponents en route to a third consecutive state championship in March. The girls soccer team lost only once to a Section 1 opponent and went on to capture a third state title in four years last fall. Ursuline has maintained an excellent girls basketball program and its coach, Beth Wooters, surpassed 700 career victories in 2025.
Their sustained success, in particular the dynastic runs, have drawn frequent complaints from other school communities, believing those powerhouse teams represent a glass ceiling in the Section 1 tournament.
“These decisions are never easy, but it is important that we rely on the established process when addressing difficult and often emotional matters,” Zayas said. “We remain committed to following our governance procedures while encouraging continued discussion through the Association’s committee structure should the membership wish to consider future rule changes. Ultimately, our responsibility is to make decisions that uphold the integrity of our rules while serving the best interests of the student-athletes of New York.”
Stephen Haynes covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Section 1’s private schools playoffs ban overturned by NYSPHSAA appeal
Reporting by Stephen Haynes, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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By Stephen Haynes, Rockland/Westchester Journal News | USA TODAY Network
