WAUSAU – Changes are coming to the WIAA state boys hockey tournament, but it’s the one that goes into effect two years from now that has some coaches upset.

Currently, eight teams earn state berths in the one-division format. The change, a two-year experiment starting with the 2020 state tournament, would split the state’s 87 programs into two divisions with the smallest 32 programs by enrollment assigned to Division 2.

That state tournament format would have two four-team divisions, essentially keeping the state finalists at eight total teams. Some coaches prefer an expanded state tournament, giving more programs the chance to compete in Madison, where this year’s state tournament takes place Thursday through Saturday at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The Wisconsin Hockey Coaches Association had supported a 12-team state tournament format in which eight schools would be placed in the large division and four in the small.