According to Alabama High School Athletic Association Executive Director Dan Washburn, a revised championship program that includes a restructured state tournament format, an earlier starting date for season play, a new sub-state round and single elimination play in all playoff rounds will be implemented for the AHSAA 2006 fall volleyball season.

Area winners and runners-up will advance to one of four single elimination regional tournaments in each class.

Four teams will advance from each regional to a sub-state round played at home sites with the regional winners and runners-up hosting the third- and fourth-place finishers from another regional.

Each sub-state round winner (eight in each class) will advance to the Elite Eight State Tournament in Pelham.

Approved by the Central Board in March 2005 to go into effect in the fall of 2006, the new state tournament format will involve eight teams per class using single elimination play in a pre-drawn bracket with a two-day schedule. This change had evolved from a recommendation from the Volleyball Committee in November of 2004.

All 2006 varsity matches (regular season and tournament play) will be best-of-5 games under National Federation Rules