Woodrow Wilson Returning to the Mountain State Athletic Conference

Ever since Woodrow Wilson left the Mountain State Athletic Conference (MSAC) following 2019-20 school year, the high school landscape for athletics has changed about as often as the West Virginia weather.

New classifications, new regional lineups and new postseason formats are just a few of the new components schools and athletic directors are dealing with.

Arguably the most impactful change has been the introduction of a fourth class (AAAA) in the Mountain State.

With early indications showing that Class AAAA will likely encompass only 16-20 teams, including the Flying Eagles, principal Ryan Stafford believed a return to the MSAC was in the school's best interest.

"With all of the classification restructuring, we had been in talks with (Commissioner) Mr. (Jim) Hamric and the MSAC for a couple of months," Stafford said. "We wanted to start those conversations, but at the same time, we needed to wait and see what would happen with the classifications."

Previously, when Woodrow Wilson decided it was in its best interest to leave the MSAC, the landscape under the existing three-class system (AAA, AA, A) was very different.

"At one time we were triple-A and there were about 34 teams in triple-A," Stafford said. "The way things have transpired, it looks like there will be 20 (schools) this season (in AAAA). The way those classification lines were drawn, you could argue that it could be anywhere from 16-20 schools for the foreseeable future."

"The landscape is a far cry from the landscape that we left when we chose to leave the MSAC," Stafford continued. "So, you take into account for that. Being in the MSAC gives us the capability to participate against competition, within our class, that we would compete against for a state championship."

With the classification realignment, the MSAC will split into a AAAA division and a AAA division.

"We would be the seventh four-A team, so we are looking at six conference games," Stafford said. "That flexibility allows us to continue relationships that we are really proud of, like Oak Hill, Princeton, Greenbrier East, schools like that in our vicinity. We liked how that was set-up."

Ironically, with the vast amount of schools previously in the upper class of the MSAC, travel was a major concern for the Flying Eagles.

With the introduction of the four-class system, travel is now one of the main concerns that has made the MSAC a desirable option for Woodrow Wilson.

"If you participate in four-A athletics, that trip to Charleston and Huntington are your easy drives now," Stafford said. "The eastern panhandle schools and Morgantown (area) are the tough drives. It's kind of the same argument, but with the landscape having changed so much, it has flip-flopped. It was a careful consideration."

Although travel was a concern, the main attraction for returning to the MSAC revolved around what the conference offered the student-athletes at Woodrow Wilson.

"Our students will have a chance to be placed on an All-Conference team and have the exposure that comes with it," Stafford said. "I really love what the MSAC does with their "Night of Champions" in basketball and what they do with baseball now. For baseball they take the top-four teams and play a tournament at GoMart Park."

"We would be remiss if we weren't trying to prepare young athletes for the next level if things work out that way," Stafford went on to say. "That conference affiliation gives us the chance to stand on the fact that they are playing the very best competition in the state of West Virginia. We know that if we compete in a particular sport in that conference, we compete well and are at the top of that conference, we feel like we have a chance to win a state title. That is what we are about and what we have always been about."

The transition will be gradual for Woodrow Wilson with cross country, track, volleyball, golf, wrestling and tennis being an MSAC affiliate for the upcoming school year.

Soccer, basketball, baseball and softball will join the conference for the 2026-27 school year, while football will be incorporated in the fall of 2027.

"Not everything checks every box," Stafford said. "However, when we looked at it from a competition standpoint, are we showcasing our kids, getting our kids ready to compete, putting our programs in the best possible position to compete for a state title, along with the financial implications of playing teams in your class without traveling three-and-a-half to four hours, it gives an opportunity to do that."