Middle School Wrestling Regulations

I. GENERAL REGULATIONS

  1. TSSAA middle schools shall be divided into two classes for wrestling postseason competition, Class A and Class AA, with four sections each. Each section shall be divided into two regions.

  2. The allowance of videotaping, filming, or streaming of regular season contests is left to the discretion of the administration of the host school (or the game administrator if there is no host school). Videotaping, filming, or streaming of postseason contests must be in accordance with the TSSAA Media Regulations and must be approved by the Tournament Director. Persons filming from the corner in an Individual tournament shall count towards the two-person limit in the corner as specified in NFHS rules.

  3. It is recommended that during the regular season, no air horns, cowbells, or individual-type noisemakers be allowed.

  4. A Medical Doctor (M.D.), Osteopathic Physician (D.O.), Certified Nurse Practitioner, or Physicians Assistant may be used to sign the NFHS Medical Release for wrestlers to participate with skin lesions. They may also be used as designated, on-site meet appropriate health care professionals who have the authority to overrule the diagnosis of the appropriate health care professional who has signed the medical release form for a wrestler to participate or not participate with a particular skin condition as stated in NFHS Rule 4-2-4.

  5. There shall be 15 weight classes for TMSAA postseason events: 75, 82, 90, 98, 106, 114, 122, 130, 138, 145, 155, 170, 185, 215, 260

  6. All matches for Wrestling Regional, Sectional, and Dual State Championship events shall consist of three 2-minute periods (2-2-2). This includes the 3rd place dual match at the State Championships. Overtime matches shall consist of one 1-minute period followed by two 30-second tiebreakers, if necessary, and one 30-second ultimate tiebreaker, if necessary.

II. DUAL MEET QUALIFYING EVENTS

  1. In Class A and Class AA, each region shall determine a champion and runner-up by any method the region selects. Those teams shall then advance to the sectional dual meet tournament. If the region uses a dual meet tournament to select its champion and runner-up, all schools in the region must have the opportunity to participate. The format and seeding for the region dual meet tournament shall be determined by the method the region schools select. The region dual meet champion and runner-up shall be determined by the Thursday of NFHS Week 23 (December 11, 2025).

  2. Each region champion and runner-up shall advance to the sectional round which must be completed by Saturday of NFHS Week 23 (December 13, 2025). Region 1 shall be paired with Region 2, Region 3 shall be paired with Region 4, Region 5 shall be paired with Region 6, and Region 7 shall be paired with Region 8. The region champion shall host the region runner-up from the corresponding region, with the winner advancing to the sectional final. The winner of each sectional final will advance to the Dual Meet State Championships.

  3. In Class A and Class AA, the semifinal matchups for the state tournaments will rotate annually as follows:

Dual meet state semifinal matchups

Dual meet state semifinal matchups

III. SKIN CHECKS

  1. Before the dual meet begins, the official shall perform skin checks or verify skin checks have been performed by an appropriate health care professional. Coaches may conduct weigh-ins, but cannot conduct skin checks to clear athletes for competition.

  2. Authorized to Perform Skin Checks: Physician (MD, DO), Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant, or Certified Athletic Trainer. The decision on whether to use an appropriate health care professional or the referee for skin checks shall lie with the school hosting the event.

  3. The official or Certified Athletic Trainer performing skin checks shall not disqualify a wrestler if the NFHS Skin Release Form is properly completed by a Physician (MD, DO), Nurse Practitioner, or Physician Assistant

IV. GENERAL TOURNAMENT REGULATIONS

No air horns, cowbells, or individual-type noisemakers will be allowed at sectional and state tournaments. The Executive Director has the authority to select another site if the host’s facilities or tournament management system is not adequate to host a state qualifying event.

V. OFFICIALS

State tournament officials shall be selected by the TSSAA state office.