The North Dakota High School Activities Association (NDHSAA) is the governing body for the U.S. state of North Dakota's high-school athletics and fine arts. The current executive director of the NDHSAA is Matthew Fetsch and the headquarters are located in Valley City, North Dakota.

History

In the fall of 1907 Superintendent G.W. Hanna of Valley City and invited representatives of a few other schools to a meeting in Valley City, North Dakota to discuss standardizing high school athletics in the state. A second meeting, called by Principal H.L. Rockwood of Valley City for the adoption of a constitution was held in Grand Forks on January 1 and 2, 1908 and would lead to the creation of the North Dakota High School League. 29 schools attended this meeting, but only four schools (Valley City, Jamestown, Grafton and Grand Forks) became charter members. Casselton and Hankinson joined later that school year. There was a steady growth in membership with 80 schools belonging by 1921 and 103 out of 162 classified high schools by 1925. Superintendent G.W. Hanna served as president for a first year and a half, and was succeeded by Superintendent A.G. Crane of Jamestown after the 1908–09 school year.

Basketball

From 1914 to 1932 all North Dakota High School Activities Association member high schools played basketball under a single classification. three small schools during this period won state titles: Tower City in 1915, Michigan in 1917, and Petersburg in 1919. In 1922, a number of schools from small towns organized the Consolidated League for the purpose of competing for a state championship with schools of similar enrollments. This league continued to operate through 1950. In 1933, the schools still competing under the sponsorship of the NDHSAA were divided up into Class A and Class B and, in 1948, the Class C division was created by the NDHSAA. The Consolidated League joined the Class C in 1950 and that combined organization remained in operation through 1963. From 1963 to 2023, all high school basketball teams compete in either Class B or Class A. Beginning in the 2023–24 season, a three class system was established with teams either competing in Class AA, Class A, or Class B.

Sports offered

Football

Football Division in North Dakota is determined by the Male Enrollment of each School, divisions are realigned annually to reflect enrollment.

AAA

150+ and Above Male Enrollment (2025)

InstitutionLocationTypeMale EnrollmentChampionshipsNicknameColors
Sheyenne High SchoolWest Fargo, North DakotaPublic7002021, 2024Mustangs
West Fargo High SchoolWest Fargo, North Dakota6941998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2017, 2023Packers
Davies High SchoolFargo, North Dakota2014Eagles
Fargo North High SchoolFargo, North Dakota1995, 2000, 2023Spartans
Shanley High SchoolFargo, North DakotaPrivate2009, 2010, 2012, 2018, 2022Deacons
Horace High SchoolHorace, North DakotaPublic2024Hawks
Williston High SchoolWilliston, North DakotaCoyotes
Bismarck High SchoolBismarck, North Dakota2001, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2018Demons
Century High SchoolBismarck, North Dakota2015,2016,2019, 2020Patriots
Legacy High SchoolBismarck, North DakotaSabers
Mandan High SchoolMandan, North DakotaBraves
Minot High SchoolMinot, North Dakota2023Magicians

AA

150+ and Above Male Enrollment (2025)

InstitutionLocationTypeMale EnrollmentChampionshipsNicknameColors
Grand Forks Central High SchoolGrand Forks, North DakotaPublicKnights
Red River High SchoolGrand Forks, North DakotaRough Riders
Fargo South High SchoolFargo, North DakotaBruins
Central CassCasselton, North DakotaSquirrels
St. Mary's Central High SchoolBismarck, North DakotaPrivateSaints
Wahpeton High SchoolWahpeton, North DakotaPublicHuskies
Kindred High SchoolKindred, North DakotaVikings
Jamestown High SchoolJamestown, North DakotaBluejays
Watford City High SchoolWatford City, North DakotaWolves
Devils Lake High SchoolDevils Lake, North DakotaFirebirds
Boys' Sports Baseball Basketball Cross Country Football 9 Man Football Golf Hockey Soccer Swimming & Diving Tennis Track & Field WrestlingGirls' Sports Basketball Cheerleading Cross Country A Golf B Golf Gymnastics Hockey Soccer Softball Swimming & Diving Tennis Track & Field Volleyball Wrestling

Activities

  • Journalism
  • Music All-State Band All-State Chorus All-State Jazz Band All-State Orchestra
  • Region Music
  • Speech Debate & Individual Events One-Act Play & Technical Theatre Oral Interpretation Student Council Student Congress
  • Visual Arts

Member Schools

The NDHSAA is currently made up of 171 member high schools.

Member High Schools
Alexander High School Ashley High SchoolBarnes County North High SchoolBeach High SchoolBelfield High SchoolBeulah High SchoolBishop Ryan High SchoolBismarck Century High SchoolBismarck High SchoolBismarck Legacy High SchoolBismarck St. Mary's High SchoolBottineau High SchoolBowbells High SchoolBowman County High SchoolBurke Central High SchoolCapstone Classical AcademyCarrington High SchoolCavalier High SchoolCenter-Stanton High SchoolCentral Cass High SchoolCentral Valley High SchoolDakota Adventist AcademyDakota Memorial High SchoolDakota Prairie High SchoolDes Lacs-Burlington High SchoolDevils Lake High SchoolDickinson High SchoolDickinson Trinity High SchoolDivide County High SchoolDrake-Anamoose High SchoolDrayton High SchoolDunseith High SchoolEdgeley High SchoolEight Mile School DistrictEllendale High SchoolEnderlin High SchoolFairmount High SchoolFargo Davies High SchoolFargo North High SchoolFargo South High SchoolFessenden-Bowdon High SchoolFinley-Sharon High SchoolFlasher High SchoolFordville-Lankin High SchoolFour Winds High SchoolGackle-Streeter High SchoolGarrison High SchoolGlen Ullin High SchoolGlenburn High SchoolGrafton High SchoolGrand Forks Central High SchoolGrand Forks Red River High SchoolGrant County High SchoolGrenora High SchoolGriggs County Central High SchoolHankinson High SchoolHarvey High SchoolHatton Eielson High SchoolHazelton-Moffit-Braddock High School Hazen High SchoolHebron High SchoolHettinger High SchoolHillsboro High SchoolHope Christian Academy High SchoolHope-Page High SchoolJamestown High SchoolJohnson Corners Christian AcademyKenmare High SchoolKensal High SchoolKidder County High SchoolKilldeer High SchoolKindred High SchoolKulm High SchoolLakota High SchoolLaMoure High SchoolLangdon Area High SchoolLarimore High SchoolLeeds High SchoolLewis & Clark High School - BertholdLewis & Clark North Shore-PlazaLidgerwood High SchoolLinton High SchoolLisbon High SchoolLitchville-Marion High SchoolMaddock High SchoolMandan High SchoolMandaree High SchoolMaple Valley High SchoolMax High SchoolMay-Port CG High SchoolMcClusky-Goodrich High SchoolMedina High SchoolMidkota High SchoolMidway High SchoolMilnor High SchoolMinnewaukan High SchoolMinot High SchoolMinot North High SchoolMinto High SchoolMohall-Lansford-Sherwood High SchoolMontpelier High SchoolMott-Regent High SchoolMunich Public SchoolNapoleon High SchoolNedrose High SchoolNew England High SchoolNew Rockford-Sheyenne High SchoolNew Salem-Almont High SchoolNew Town High SchoolNewburg High SchoolNorth Border High School-PembinaNorth Border High School-WalhallaNorth Sargent High SchoolNorth Star High SchoolNorthern Cass High SchoolNorthwood High SchoolOak Grove High School Oakes High SchoolOur Redeemer's High SchoolPark River Area High SchoolParshall High SchoolPingree-Buchanan High SchoolPowers Lake High SchoolRay High SchoolRichardton-Taylor High SchoolRichland High SchoolRolette High SchoolRolla High SchoolRugby High SchoolSargent Central High SchoolSawyer SchoolSchool of the Holy Family - MandanScranton High SchoolSelfridge High SchoolShanley High SchoolShiloh Christian High SchoolSolen High SchoolSouth Heart High SchoolSouth Prairie High SchoolSt. John High SchoolStanding Rock High SchoolStanley High SchoolStarkweather High SchoolStrasburg High SchoolSurrey High SchoolTGU Granville High SchoolTGU Towner High SchoolThompson High SchoolTioga High SchoolTurtle Lake-Mercer High SchoolTurtle Mountain Community High SchoolUnderwood High SchoolValley City High SchoolValley-Edinburg School DistrictVelva High SchoolWahpeton High SchoolWarwick High SchoolWashburn High SchoolWatford City High SchoolWest Fargo High SchoolWest Fargo Horace High SchoolWest Fargo Sheyenne High SchoolWesthope High SchoolWhite Shield High SchoolWilliston High SchoolWilliston Trinity Christian High SchoolWilton High SchoolWing High SchoolWishek High SchoolWyndmere High SchoolZeeland High School

Notable alumni

Roger Maris attended Fargo Central High School and Bishop Shanley High School in Fargo. The two time AL MVP played football and baseball for the Deacons.

External links