Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the enrollments of Killeen and Killeen Shoemaker.
By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal
The UIL released all the enrollments from UIL Snapshot Day on Tuesday, offering the first clear look at how the 2026–28 realignment and reclassification could reshape South Central Texas’ high school athletics.
The area is projected to have 22 schools above the anticipated Class 5A cutoff, which was 1,315 for the 2024-26 UIL realignment. With Cedar Park, Rouse, Leander, East View, Hays and Comal Pieper likely moving up to Class 6A, and Manor dropping to Class 5A, the shift could be significant for some area schools.
Movement around the area, including a few Killeen schools dropping to Class 5A will likely send north Williamson County north, while Austin ISD may finally move to Region IV.
Below are the Austin Sports Journal’s early projections for the new Class 5A districts for all sports other than football. These are speculative, but projecting realignment is part of the fun.
One guiding rule always applies: the UIL keeps schools from the same district together. That means:
- The four Pflugerville schools will remain together
- Both Bastrop ISD schools will remain together
- The six Austin ISD schools will remain together, with Ann Richards remaining to opt up despite having Class 4A numbers.
- Both Liberty Hill ISD schools will be placed in the same district.
That leaves one-district schools such as Manor, Elgin, Georgetown and others left to fill in the holes.
Here are the Austin Sports Journal’s early projections:
District 23-5A
Georgetown (2,83)
Liberty Hill Legacy Ranch (1,576)
Liberty Hill (1,739)
Leander Glenn (1.994)
Killeen Shoemaker (2,114.5)
Killeen (1,970.5)
Killeen Ellison (1,731.5)
Belton (1,744.5)
Our take: This was the easiest of the districts to put together. If this happens, Liberty Hill schools would move to Region III after being in Region IV the last two redistrictings. With Glenn being the remaining Leander ISD school in Class 5A and East View going to Class 6A, this district would be the perfect fit for Glenn and Georgetown. The biggest change is that it sends area schools north to Killeen and Belton.
District 24-5A
Pflugerville Hendrickson (2,126.5)
Pflugerville Weiss (2,068.5)
Pflugerville Connally (1,875.5)
Pflugerville (1,828)
Manor (2,209)
Elgin (1,808)
Bastrop (1,745)
Bastrop Cedar Creek (2,159)
Our take: Geographically, this makes sense. The reason we went this route was to keep it from being a six team district, the Bastrop ISD schools were the only area schools to make sense. This is a perfect East I-35 district with built in rivalries, including a rebirth of the US 290 rivalry between Elgin and Manor.
District 25-5A
Austin Anderson (2,179)
Austin McCallum (1,890)
Austin Navarro (1,466)
Austin Crockett (1,543)
Austin Ann Richards (976) – Opt up and girls only
Austin LASA (1,578)
Kyle Lehman (2,184.5)
Lockhart (2,066)
Our take: With six Austin ISD schools, the addition of Lehman and Lockhart make this an eight team geographically sound district in girls sports and an easy transition to seven teams in boys sports. It also moves Austin ISD to Region IV.
District 26-5A
Smithson Valley (2,118)
New Braunfels (1,409.5)
New Braunfels Long Creek (1,589.35)
Boerne Champion (2.025)
Boerne (1,540)
Seguin 1,998)
Alamo Heights (1,574)
San Antonio Veterans Memorial (1,621.5)
Our take: The wild cards are current Class 4A powerhouse Comal Davenport, who turned in an enrollment of 1,263, and Kerrville Tivy. Tivy turned in an enrollment of 1,274, which would be under the cutoff. This puts both schools on the fence, but they are likely safely in Class 5A. However, UIL realignment is unpredictable until it’s announced. New Braunfels Long Creek moving up to 5A makes this an easy puzzle to put together.
