Salpointe Catholic High School has officially transitioned from Class 4A to Class 5A, a move approved by the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) for the upcoming 2026-27 school year. This decision comes on the heels of an exceptional period of success for the school, which has claimed a remarkable total of 20 state championships across eight different sports within the past five years.
During this time, Salpointe has established itself as a dominant force in Tucson athletics, achieving more state titles than any other high school in the region during the same timeframe. With an enrollment of 1,366, Salpointe Catholic will now compete against larger schools, leaving behind the 4A Kino division, which includes teams like Sahuaro and Walden Grove.
The school will now face a more challenging schedule, competing against 5A Sonoran teams such as CDO, Catalina Foothills, Mountain View, Rincon/University, Cholla, and Casa Grande. This shift is expected to enhance the level of competition for Salpointe, which will remain in Class 6A for football.
Strategic Move for Enhanced Competition
Phil Gruensfelder, the athletic director at Salpointe Catholic, explained that the request to move up to 5A was driven by a desire for improved competition and more consistent scheduling for junior varsity and freshman teams. He noted that many 4A schools often struggle with enrollment, leading to the cancellation of junior varsity and freshman teams. “Oftentimes, teams in 4A drop their JV and freshman teams because of lack of involvement/enrollment,” Gruensfelder stated. “The 5A schools are larger, enrollment-wise, and can often offer JV and freshman teams consistently.”
The landscape of high school sports in Tucson has evolved significantly over the past decade, with several programs experiencing substantial changes in enrollment. Once-prominent schools, such as Amphitheater, have seen declines, with an enrollment of just 870 students, prompting a drop to Class 3A. In contrast, schools like Sabino, with 785 students, and Palo Verde, with 733, will now compete in this lower classification.
Challenges of AIA Realignment
The recent realignment by the AIA has raised questions about the distribution of schools within the 6A classification. Currently, Tucson has three 6A schools—Sunnyside, Marana, and Tucson High—each placed in separate divisions despite their proximity and similar enrollment sizes. Sunnyside, with an enrollment of 2,104, finds itself in the 6A Fiesta division, while Marana, with 2,409, competes in the 6A Metro division, and Tucson High, the largest at 2,666, heads to the 6A East Valley. This division of local schools could complicate travel arrangements and scheduling for teams.
The decline in enrollment for other Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) schools is also noteworthy. Schools such as Catalina and Santa Rita, which once competed successfully in higher classes, now find themselves in Class 2A. Catalina’s enrollment has dropped to 562, while Santa Rita has fallen to 384. Just 15 years ago, Santa Rita reached the state 4A football championship game in consecutive years, and Catalina won the Class 4A state baseball championship in 2011. The changes in enrollment and classification exemplify the shifting dynamics of high school athletics in the Tucson area.
As Salpointe Catholic prepares for its new challenges in Class 5A, the school aims to build on its legacy of success while fostering competitive opportunities for all its teams. The upcoming season begins on September 10, 2025, marking a new chapter for the Lancers as they step up to face their new rivals.
