A new chapter in Alhambra Unified School District athletics has begun as Alhambra High School, Mark Keppel High School, and San Gabriel High School join the newly-established Metro Alliance Conference, better known as MAC-12.
Formerly members of the Almont League (which consisted solely of ALhambra and MONTebello district schools), AUSD’s three high schools now join nine other schools from across the San Gabriel Valley. MAC-12 is composed of Arroyo, Alhambra, Bell Gardens, El Monte, El Rancho, Mark Keppel, Montebello, Mountain View, Rosemead, San Gabriel, Schurr and South El Monte high schools.
The new conference is designed around a competitive equity model, giving student-athletes opportunities to compete against programs with comparable levels of competitive success. Rather than keeping schools in fixed leagues year after year, the MAC-12 will use a system that allows league placement to change based on competitive performance.
For most sports, the conference will operate with two leagues, the Metro League and Alliance League. At the conclusion of each season, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section rankings will be used to determine league placement for the following year.
The conference constitution specifies that schools’ combined rankings will be used to create the leagues.
For the 2026-2027 fall season:
- Football: AHS and SGHS will compete in the Alliance League, while MKHS will compete in the Conference League.
- Girls Volleyball, Girls Tennis, and Flag Football: SGHS and MKHS will compete in the Metro League, while AHS will compete in the Alliance League.
- Cross Country: AHS and MKHS will compete in the Metro League, while SGHS will compete in the Alliance League.
- Girls Golf: AHS and MKHS will compete in the Metro League.
- Boys Water Polo: AHS and MKHS will compete in the Metro.
“Joining MAC-12 provides our student-athletes with an exciting new athletic experience and a conference structure that emphasizes competitive equity,” said Dr. Marisa Palacios, AUSD Director of Secondary Education. “We are excited about the opportunities this new conference will create for our students and our athletic programs, while continuing to build strong relationships with schools throughout the San Gabriel Valley.”
The MAC-12 conference model also recognizes that different sports have different competitive structures. Cross country, wrestling, and track and field will use enrollment and CIF divisional placement as part of their league structure. Several sports with fewer participating schools, including boys golf, water polo, and swimming, will operate as single-conference sports. Football will be divided into three leagues: Metro, Alliance and Conference.
MAC-12’s goals extend beyond competitive placement. According to the conference constitution, the organization is intended to encourage participation and equitable opportunities for students, promote good sportsmanship, foster positive relationships among member schools and communities, and maintain the educational value of interscholastic athletics. The conference will also provide opportunities for league championships and CIF Southern Section postseason competition, with playoff berths determined according to league standings and CIF rules.
For AUSD’s student-athletes, the transition represents more than a change in the name on their league schedule. It introduces a new model intended to create competitive balance while giving teams opportunities to build new friendly rivalries and strengthen relationships with schools throughout the region.
As the Moors, Aztecs and Matadors begin competing in the MAC-12 this fall, AUSD looks forward to continuing to support our student-athletes and athletic programs as they enter this exciting new era.
