Notable changes to the 2025-26 WPIAL softball alignment

By: Bill Hartlep
Monday, September 9, 2024 | 11:45 AM

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The WPIAL released new section alignments for the next two-year cycle in all sports, and changes will be implemented starting this fall.

This summer, the Tribune-Review will break down changes for each of the WPIAL sports.

Here’s a look at the upcoming WPIAL softball season:

2024 WPIAL championships

Class 6A: Seneca Valley

Class 5A: Armstrong

Class 4A: Elizabeth Forward

Class 3A: Mohawk

Class 2A: Neshannock

Class A: Chartiers-Houston

Notable changes

• WPIAL Class 6A softball stayed mostly the same for the next two-year cycle. Woodland Hills moved up from Class 4A to join and form a nine-team section.

• In Class 5A, Baldwin dropped down from Class 6A to join Section 4, and McKeesport (Section 2), Chartiers Valley and Montour (Section 3) and Albert Gallatin (Section 4) all moved up in class.

Mars and New Castle moved from Section 3 to 1, and Upper St. Clair slid over from Section 4 to 3.

• Class 4A welcomed Derry, Freeport and Valley, which moved up and into Section 1, as well as Central Valley, which moved up a class to join Section 3. Oakland Catholic dropped down a class and into Section 2, and Western Beaver moved down a class and into Section 3. In addition, West Mifflin slid over from Section 1 to 2.

• Steel Valley and Charleroi moved up a class to join Section 3 in Class 3A, which shrunk by six teams and from four sections to three.

Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland and Yough all moved over from Section 3 to 1. Avonworth moved from Section 1 to 2, and Keystone Oaks, McGuffey and South Park all left the defunct Section 4 to join Section 3.

• Class 2A gained five teams and moved from three sections to four. Northgate and Springdale (Section 2), Carlynton and Chartiers-Houston (Section 3) and California and Frazier (Section 4) all moved up a class.

Shady Side Academy and South Allegheny (Section 2), Seton LaSalle (Section 3) and Brownsville and Waynesburg Central (Section 4) all moved down a class.

In addition, Bentworth and Washington moved from Section 3 to 4.

• Class A gained four teams that all dropped down — Beth-Center (Section 2) and Ellis School, Greensburg Central Catholic and Serra Catholic (Section 3). In addition, Bishop Canevin moved from Section 3 to 1.

In and out

Two teams dropped out of WPIAL competition since last spring — Eden Christian Academy and Riverview.

Riverview, which wasn’t able to field a team last season because of a lack of players, formed a co-op with rival Springdale for softball, wrestling and golf.

Past champions

• Neshannock won a third straight WPIAL Class 2A title last spring to earn a fifth overall.

• Baldwin and Sto-Rox hold the WPIAL lead with 10 titles, followed by Chartiers-Houston (9), Hempfield (8), North Hills and Riverside (6) and Belle Vernon, Neshannock and West Greene (5).

Key dates

March 3: First practice date

March 8: First scrimmage date

March 14: First play date

March 24: First section dates

May 8: Playoff pairings meeting

May 28-30: WPIAL championships

June 12-13: PIAA championships, Penn State

2025-26 alignment

Class 6A

Section 1: Butler, Canon-McMillan, Hempfield, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Woodland Hills

Class 5A

Section 1: Fox Chapel, Mars, New Castle, North Hills, Penn Hills, Plum, Shaler

Section 2: Armstrong, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Kiski Area, Latrobe, McKeesport, Penn-Trafford

Section 3: Chartiers Valley, Montour, Moon, South Fayette, Upper St. Clair, West Allegheny

Section 4: Albert Gallatin, Baldwin, Bethel Park, Connellsville, Peters Township, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity

Class 4A

Section 1: Derry, Freeport, Greensburg Salem, Highlands, Indiana, Knoch, Valley

Section 2: Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward, Laurel Highlands, Oakland Catholic, Ringgold, Uniontown, West Mifflin

Section 3: Ambridge, Beaver, Blackhawk, Central Valley, Hampton, North Catholic, Western Beaver

Class 3A

Section 1: Burrell, Deer Lakes, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland, Yough

Section 2: Avonworth, Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Hopewell, Mohawk, Quaker Valley

Section 3: Charleroi, East Allegheny, Keystone Oaks, McGuffey, South Park, Steel Valley

Class 2A

Section 1: Aliquippa, Freedom, Laurel, Neshannock, New Brighton, Riverside, Shenango

Section 2: Apollo-Ridge, Brentwood, Northgate, Shady Side Academy, South Allegheny, Springdale

Section 3: Burgettstown, Carlynton, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Seton LaSalle

Section 4: Bentworth, Brownsville, California, Frazier, Washington, Waynesburg

Class A

Section 1: Bishop Canevin, Cornell, Rochester, Sewickley Academy, South Side, Union

Section 2: Avella, Beth-Center, Carmichaels, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, West Greene

Section 3: Ellis School, Greensburg Central Catholic, Jeannette, Leechburg, Monessen, St. Joseph, Serra Catholic

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.