Criteria changed for state

DES MOINES - The Iowa High School Athletic Association has decided to rank all state qualifiers this year for the traditional state tournament, using TrackWrestling to do so.

Other changes made for this season by the Iowa High School Athletic Association is allowing schools to opt out of dual team postseason events if done by the first competition date. For the state duals competition, the 16 sectional champions and the next eight highest-ranked teams (by the Iowa Wrestling Coaches Association) will compete in the regional dual team tournament in Class 2A and Class 1A. If a sectional champion opts out of the dual team postseason, the next highest-ranked team would qualify.

Starting with the 2018-19 season, the Association ranked the top eight at each weight class using a computerized system while also keeping the human element available with oversight provided by the IHSAA. The remaining eight were then drawn at random to complete the brackets. This season, all 16 qualifiers will get a seed assigned to them and no random draw will be used.

The Association has a number of criteria it uses to go through the entire list of wrestlers and slot them in an appropriate position.

The tournament committee tries to ensure wrestlers from the same district tournaments are placed in different sections of the bracket.

Criteria used by TrackWrestling to determine seeds gives points to individuals based on a number of factors. When compared to every other wrestler in a specific bracket, qualifiers receive one or two points for a criteria advantage, reaching a maximum of 30 points per bracket.

The first criteria is head-to-head competition and competition against common opponents. That was a two-point criteria, but this year it has been changed to one point.

A returning state qualifier is given points by placing the previous year. A state titlist would get the most points, getting a point for first, another for a finish as high as fourth, another for a top eight finish and another for being a district champion as well as being a state qualifier. Winning percentage in the current season is the last criteria. If no decision can be made using criteria then winning percentages each wrestler receives a half-point.