Poughkeepsie athletics to rejoin Section 9 for 2026-27

Poughkeepsie High School’s interscholastic athletics teams will compete in Section 9 beginning this fall.
Section 9 approved Poughkeepsie’s application for admission Tuesday morning at its monthly meeting, after the Mid-Hudson Athletic League gave its blessing last month. Poughkeepsie will leave Section 1 at the end of this school year.
Dr. Jonathan Jefferson, Poughkeepsie’s executive director of physical education, health services, athletics and recreation, called it an “easy” decision to apply to rejoin Section 9, citing academic, social emotional, geographic and economic benefits.
“What’s in the best interest for Poughkeepsie is to be in a region where we don’t have excessive travel, where we’re not pulling kids out of school academically, where they will get to experience diversified environments,” Jefferson said. “I want to thank our neighboring schools in Section 9 for welcoming us back.”
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association divides the state into 11 geographic sections for regional competition; Schools are further divided for postseason play into classifications based on enrollment size.
While some of Dutchess County’s schools compete in Section 1 – which also includes Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties – many compete in Section 9 with teams from Ulster, Orange and Sullivan counties. The Pioneers previously left Section 1 in favor of Section 9 in fall 2014 and returned in fall 2017. They will compete in the Mid-Hudson Athletic League.