The Minnesota State High School League released its competitive section assignments for the next two years Wednesday with very little movement of schools from their previous section assignment, but the biggest difference was the enrollment sizes.

Of teams that compete in the Big Nine Conference, all but one school saw a decline in total enrollment. The MSHSL redraws section assignments every two years and bases its decision upon geography and enrollment numbers. The MSHSL uses a school’s total enrollment and then adjusts that number by subtracting 40 percent of the students who receive free or reduced lunches.

The new section assignments will take effect next year and last until 2010-11.

Albert Lea was among the schools in the Big Nine saw the biggest decline in enrollment. Albert Lea went from an enrollment of 1,096 the last time section assignments were drawn to an enrollment of 911 Wednesday, a total of 185 students.

The decline places Albert Lea ninth out of 10 schools in the Big Nine in terms of enrollment. Only Mankato East has fewer students with 806.

Rochester Century and Winona also experienced significant drops in enrollment. Century’s enrollment dipped from 1,676 to 1,538 while Winona dropped from 1,226 to 1,090.

The decline didn’t affect Century and its section standing in any sports, but Winona moved down a class in boys’ and girls’ basketball.

The changes were minimal for Albert Lea as well. The wrestling program would have been the only sport affected, but the program decided to opt up two years ago. When that decision was made it entered into a four-year commitment.

Football remained unchanged as well as boys’ and girls’ golf, and boys’ hockey.

The other changes included Red Wing moving out of Section 1AAA for baseball, St. Thomas Academy was reassigned from Section 1AAA in boys’ basketball, but Winona replaced St. Thomas Academy. In girls’ basketball Visitation is no longer in Section 1AAA, but Winona enters.

Waseca, Dover-Eyota, and Zumbrota-Mazeppa were reassigned in boys’ and girls’ cross country and New Prague became part of Section 1A for girls’ hockey.

Albert Lea boys’ soccer remained in Section 1A, but Faribault and Northfield were removed. Winona became part of Section 1A.

Albert Lea girls’ soccer remained in Section 2A, but Faribault was removed while Red Wing is no longer in Section 1AAA for softball.

East Ridge, a new high school in Woodbury, was added to Section 1A for boys’ swimming and diving while St. Paul Johnson was also added.

New Prague replaced Waseca in Section 1AA for girls’ tennis.

In boys’ and girls’ track and field Waseca and Dover-Eyota were removed, but Rosemount enters the section.

In volleyball Red Wing was moved from Section 1AAA and the only other move came in wrestling. Mankato West moved into Section 1AAA while Northfield was moved out of the section.

Austin was the only school in the Big Nine that saw any gains in enrollment and those numbers increased by 71 students.

Four other area schools saw their enrollment drop as well.

Alden-Conger, Glenville-Emmons, New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva, and United South Central all experienced a decrease in enrollment numbers.

The most significant of the changes came for NRHEG and USC as both their baseball programs dropped from Class 2A to Class 1A. USC’s enrollment dropped from 304 to 239 and also moved the school down a class in boys’ and girls’ golf and volleyball.

USC’s softball program moved down to Class 1A as well.

The boys’ and girls’ cross country teams for both NRHEG and USC moved to Section 1A.

NRHEG was just above the threshold in softball and volleyball with an enrollment of 280. The threshold was 263 for volleyball and 278 for softball.

Alden-Conger football moved to Section 1 in nine-man football for the next two seasons.