The Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Central Board of Control approved a plan to institute Super Regional tournaments at two sites in the state volleyball playoffs on Wednesday for the 2012-13 school year.

The new post-season format will have three rounds beginning next season with area tournaments to be played anytime from Oct. 18-20.

The super regional tournaments with 96 teams in six classifications at the north site and 96 teams in six classifications at the south site being played Oct. 26-27. The north site will be at Huntsville’s Von Braun Center, and the south site will be at Montgomery’s new multi-purpose complex at the Cramton Bowl, may be approved based on a site visit next week.

The super regional tournament format will streamline the volleyball playoffs by combining two regional tournaments into one and eliminating the sub-state round, thus reducing travel costs, according to a story by The Brewton Standard.

The winner and runner up from each area tournament will advance to the super regional, and the top four finishers in each super regional will then advance to the Elite Eight state tournament in each classification.