Postseason Structure

The article below illustrates the structure of the postseason process for boys and girls Iowa high school tennis.

*Team postseason play defaults to state scoring. State scoring = 6 singles matches and 3 doubles matches for a total of 9 matches. Team postseason meets are played to decision, when a team wins 5 matches, the meet is over.

**Edited May 7, 2023

Postseason Process

1. Districts

2. Substate

3. Individual State

4. Team State Districts Each season, the largest 48 schools in the state are declared the 2A division in tennis, with the rest of the schools making up the 1A division.

Teams are sorted in districts to begin postseason play. Typically, these districts are dictated by geography. Each team is allowed to enter 2 singles players and 2 doubles pairs for a total of 6 players. A player can be entered in either the singles OR doubles draw, not both.

Singles and doubles draws are made the morning of districts day, including the top 4 seeds in both draws. The two entries from the same school begin on the opposite side of the draw.

The champion and runner-up for both singles and doubles qualify for the state singles/doubles tournaments. The champion is eligible to be seeded at the state tournament, whereas the runner-up is not eligible. The only exception for a runner-up to be eligible to be seeded at the state tournament is if they individually as a singles player, or the duo as a doubles pair were in the state finals the year before.

Substate Both 1A and 2A are split up into eight substate sections, giving all teams in the state a shot to win the team state title.

2A substates have six teams per section, and 1A has either eight or nine teams per section. Each substate before play begins, has a seeding call between the participating coaches.

The teams that advance through and win their substate, qualifies for the team state tournament (eight teams remaining in each class) Upon reaching the team state tournament, the teams are re-seeded 1-8 before play begins.

Individual State District champions and runner-ups in the singles and doubles draws have qualified for the individual state tournament.

State tournament draws are made the week of leading up to the start of the tournament . There is a coaches meeting including all coaches of players in the draws to determine the top 4 seeds. This 16 player singles draw and 16 doubles pairs draw is double elimination where the top 8 finish as place-winners.

Team State The 8 teams that make it through their substates will play for the championship over a two day period. The first day will play the quarterfinal and semi-final rounds, and the second day will play the championship and 3rd place matches.

These 8 teams are reseeded 1-8 with #1 playing #8, #2 playing #7, #3 playing #6, and #4 playing #5 in the quarterfinals. Losing teams in the quarterfinal round are done for the tournament, where losing teams in the semi-final round will play for 3rd.

Girls Postseason Process

1. Individual Regionals

2. Team Regionals

3. Individual State

4. Team State Individual Regionals Each season, the largest 48 schools in the state are declared the 2A division in tennis, with the rest of the schools making up the 1A division.

Teams are sorted in regionals to begin postseason play. Typically, these regions are dictated by geography. Each team is allowed to enter 2 singles players and 2 doubles pairs for a total of 6 players. A player can be entered in either the singles OR doubles draw, not both.

Singles and doubles draws are made the morning of regionals day, including the top 4 seeds in both draws. The two entries from the same school begin on the opposite side of the draw.

The champion and runner-up for both singles and doubles qualify for the state singles/doubles tournaments. The champion is eligible to be seeded at the state tournament, whereas the runner-up is not eligible. The only exception for a runner-up to be eligible to be seeded at the state tournament is if they individually as a singles player, or the duo as a doubles pair were in the state finals the year before. Team Regionals

Both 1A and 2A are split up into four regions, giving all teams in the state a shot to win the team state title.

2A regions have 12 teams per section, and 1A has more per section depending on where teams are placed. Regionals are determined by the IGHSAU.

The teams that advance through and win their mini-region, qualifies for the team state tournament (eight teams remaining in each class) Upon reaching the team state tournament, the quarterfinal round is played at host school sites before a week or more before the final four.

Individual State Individual regional champions and runner-ups in the singles and doubles draws have qualified for the individual state tournament. State tournament draws are made the week of leading up to the start. There is a coaches meeting including all coaches of players in the draws to determine the top 4 seeds. This 16 player singles draw and 16 doubles pairs draw is double elimination where the top 8 finish as place-winners. Team State The 4 teams that make it through their regions/quarterfinals will play for the championship in one day. These 4 teams are reseeded 1-4 with #1 playing #4 and #2 playing #3 in the semi-finals. Winners play for the championship and the losers play for 3rd place.