District opponents for the 2026-28 athletic seasons were unveiled in early February as the UIL released the first part of its biennial reclassification and realignment.
The new alignments pertain only to football, volleyball, and basketball, with districts for other UIL sports set for release later this spring.
While things will remain relatively similar for Dallas ISD programs Hillcrest, Thomas Jefferson, and W.T. White, the same cannot be said for Jesuit Dallas.
After spending the past two football and basketball seasons in District 7-6A competing against Richardson ISD (Berkner, Lake Highlands, Pearce, and Richardson) and Irving ISD (Irving, MacArthur, and Nimitz), the Rangers will now be lumped in 6-6A alongside Allen, McKinney, McKinney Boyd, Princeton, Prosper, Prosper Rock Hill, and Prosper Walnut Grove.
This will result in a significant step up in competition, with the addition of perennial power Allen as well as a Prosper program that has been steadily rising.
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A year ago, both Eagle teams advanced to at least the third round of the playoffs, including a trip to the state semifinals for Allen.
Allen also advanced to the state semifinals in basketball a year ago and is state-ranked this season (No. 19).
In 5A, WTW is bound for District 7 in Division 1 (Region 2) where it will join Crandall, Dallas Adams, Dallas Sunset, Mesquite, North Mesquite, Tyler, and West Mesquite.
Hillcrest and TJ, meanwhile, will head to District 5 in Division 2 (Region 2) and compete against Dallas ISD schools Adamson, Molina, Samuell, Seagoville, South Oak Cliff, and Woodrow Wilson, as well as new addition Mesquite Poteet.
For WTW, this alignment signals an end to district football battles with Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD programs.
Local Dallas ISD basketball and volleyball districts, meanwhile, remain the same but with one caveat: the district goes from seven to nine teams with the additions of Seagoville and Wilson.
Logistically, little will change for Hillcrest, TJ, and WTW and the programs will continue their storied rivalries with fellow Dallas ISD schools.
Jesuit, meanwhile, will see slightly lengthier commutes on average. The Rangers will now have consistent travel up U.S. Highway 75 as opposed to shorter treks to the likes of Irving and Richardson.
