What Would Florida’s New Open Division Have Looked Like in 2026?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Picture it now. A packed UNF Arena, the shot clock winding down, and college coaches lining the court. The best players in the FHSAA all under one roof. No classifications and no debates about strength of schedule. No wondering whether Team A would beat Team B. Just the top eight FHSAA teams in the state battling for what many would consider a true Florida state championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For the first time, Florida girls basketball may finally get a postseason where the debate is settled on the court instead of in group chats, team rankings, and social media comments. Will we finally find out who is the best team in the state?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Beginning with the 2026-27 season, the Florida High School Athletic Association hopes to answer that question with the creation of an Open Division playoff. Approved unanimously by the FHSAA Board of Directors, the new format will place the state's top eight teams into a separate championship bracket, creating a true best-on-best postseason while also opening the door for more schools to compete for traditional state championships.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The concept has generated excitement across the state, but it also raises an intriguing question: what would the Open Division have looked like this past season?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Before diving in, it's important to note that the rankings used here are the final FHSAA Power Rankings after the completion of the state tournaments. Had the Open Division existed during the 2025-26 season, the rankings entering district and regional play likely would have looked different. Still, the final rankings provide an interesting snapshot of who ultimately proved to be the top teams in Florida by season's end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Projected 2025-26 Open Division Field</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Miami Country Day</strong> (2A State Champion, 28-2)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Somerset Academy Canyons</strong> (3A State Champion, 24-4)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Grandview Prep </strong>(1A State Champion, 26-4)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Bolles</strong> (3A Final Four, 25-5)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Lake Highland Prep</strong> (3A Runner-Up, 25-7)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Winter Haven</strong> (7A Runner-Up, 20-7)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Doral Academy</strong> (7A State Champion, 22-8)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>St. Thomas Aquinas</strong> (6A State Champion, 22-8)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Using the Open Division format, those teams would have been split into the following pools:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Pool A</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Miami Country Day<br>4. Bolles<br>5. Lake Highland Prep<br>8. St. Thomas Aquinas</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Pool B</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2. Somerset Academy Canyons<br>3. Grandview Prep<br>6. Winter Haven<br>7. Doral Academy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now imagine that lineup.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Miami Country Day, the eventual 2A state champion that finished the season without a loss to an FHSAA opponent, sharing a pool with a Bolles squad that reached the Final Four, a Lake Highland Prep team that played its way to a state runner-up finish, and a St. Thomas Aquinas program that captured a 6A state title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the other side, Somerset Academy Canyons and Grandview Prep (both state champions) would be joined by Winter Haven, the 7A runner-up, and Doral Academy, the 7A state champion. Every game would feel like a state semifinal or championship matchup.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These games would be cinema! The best players in the FHSAA along with some of the best coaching staffs. College coaches lining the baseline. Packed stands. A shot clock creating even more possessions and opportunities for stars to shine. Most importantly, very few nights where one team simply overwhelms another.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Open Division also creates a fascinating wrinkle with pool play. Unlike the traditional one-and-done postseason, a single loss doesn't automatically end a championship run. Teams would need to prove themselves over multiple games against elite competition. In many ways, it feels more like a championship series than a single-elimination tournament. Every game matters, every possession matters, and consistency becomes just as important as surviving and advancing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Perhaps the biggest impact of all isn't on the teams competing in the Open Division. It's on the teams that aren't. For years, programs across Florida have seen promising seasons end against perennial powers such as Miami Country Day, Grandview Prep, and St. Thomas Aquinas before ever reaching Lakeland or UNF. With those programs potentially competing for an Open Division title, what opportunities could open for everyone else?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Would Holy Trinity have won the 3A title? Could Nova have found itself representing its classification at UNF? Would Schoolhouse Prep have had a clearer path to a state championship game? How many schools that previously had to navigate through a national-level powerhouse suddenly find themselves within reach of a state title?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Those questions are impossible to answer, but they're exactly why the Open Division has generated so much discussion. Supporters believe it will help identify a true statewide champion while simultaneously creating more championship opportunities throughout the classifications. Others will argue that it simply creates another trophy to chase. What is certain is that Florida girls basketball is entering a new era.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Will the Open Division create a true state champion, or will it simply create another championship to chase? We'll find out this winter when Florida's best finally have to play each other on the same road to a title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->