Birmingham Detroit Country Day to join Catholic League in 2026-27

The private, non-denominational school will become the 34th member of the Detroit Catholic High School League.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Birmingham Detroit Country Day, a private and non-denominational school, will join the Catholic High School League starting in the 2026-27 school year. The school has operated as an independent since 1985 but will now compete in the league's competitions across boys' and girls' sports. Country Day is one of five schools in Michigan with over 100 state championship trophies.

Why it matters

The move to the Catholic League will help Country Day with scheduling and provide its athletes an opportunity to compete for a league championship, in addition to the state tournament. As an independent, the school faced challenges with scheduling and logistics that this change is expected to address.

The details

Country Day was unanimously approved as the Catholic League's newest member after initial conversations began in December. The school will likely be placed in the AA football division, which features some of the league's top programs. Country Day went 4-5 last season, missing the playoffs, but did beat future league opponent U-D Jesuit.

  • On February 11, 2026, the Catholic League and Country Day jointly announced the school will join the league starting in the 2026-27 school year.
  • Country Day was officially approved as the league's newest member by administrators on Tuesday, February 10, 2026.

The players

Mike Evoy

The new director of the Catholic High School League.

Dan MacLean

The athletic director and football coach at Birmingham Detroit Country Day.

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What they’re saying

“Detroit Country Day is a natural fit for the Catholic High School League. Their commitment to excellence in the classroom and in athletic competition mirrors the values of our member schools. We believe Detroit Country Day will not only integrate seamlessly into our league culture but will also elevate the competitive standard of our league as a whole.”

— Mike Evoy, New league director (freep.com)

“As an independent, you always have some issues with scheduling and logistics and so forth. I think that is an enhancement.”

— Dan MacLean, Athletic director and football coach (freep.com)

What’s next

The Catholic League and Country Day will work to determine which divisions the school will compete in for different sports, with tentative plans already in place.

The takeaway

Birmingham Detroit Country Day's move to the Catholic High School League represents an opportunity for the private, non-denominational school to enhance its athletic scheduling and compete for league championships, while also elevating the overall competitiveness of the Catholic League.