Sgroi faces 30 team exodus as new NIAA director

Cate Sgroi arrived at the helm of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association with a specific problem to solve. Thirty football programs from the Clark County School District dropped out of NIAA competition for the current season. The association is currently working to understand why those schools left and how to bring them back.

Sgroi is the first woman to serve as executive director for the state athletic body. She took the position only a few weeks ago. During that brief tenure, she has focused on the relationship between the governing body and its member schools.

The departure of thirty teams represents a large share of the state’s participation. The NIAA oversees roughly 125 member schools across Nevada. The exodus has raised questions about competitive balance and how the organization responds to its members.

Sgroi identified a communication gap as a primary issue. She believes many schools felt ignored by the board and its leadership.

“I think there is a lack of feeling heard and feeling as if the NIAA, the board, whoever it may be, is not meeting them where they are and finding solutions that are best for their student athletes,” Sgroi said.

To address these concerns, Sgroi has already held meetings with principals and superintendents. Her next step involves directing the membership committee to focus on the needs of existing schools. She plans to survey members to identify specific issues affecting their programs.

Competitive balance remains a complex topic for Nevada. A major part of the debate involves whether public and private schools should compete in separate divisions. Sgroi noted that the state's geography and small population size make this decision difficult.

“We have to look at the practicality of that in a state of our size geographically,” she said. The association is evaluating its competition structure ahead of future realignment discussions. Sgroi emphasized that any changes must work for entire regions rather than just individual schools.

The NIAA is also expanding its athletic offerings beyond football. Girls wrestling is now a separately sanctioned sport after several years of holding state championships without full sanction status. The organization will hold its first lacrosse state championship in the spring of 2027.

Sgroi confirmed that the lacrosse event is ready to proceed. She noted interest from schools in both Northern and Southern Nevada. Her appointment has also drawn attention to women in athletic leadership. Sgroi is one of seven women serving as executive directors of state high school athletic associations in the United States.

“I want to be judged by the things that I'm actually doing,” Sgroi said. She added that she hopes her tenure provides a clear example of career possibilities for women in the field. Her immediate priority remains reconnecting with the 30 football teams that left the association this year.