Montville — Officials from the Eastern Connecticut Conference realigned divisions Thursday for the 2018-19 school year, alleviating many of the competitive imbalance issues that have plagued the league in recent years.

ECC principals voted unanimously to approve a proposal from athletic directors that features a yearly, strength-based, gender-based model, a fourth division and the addition of the league's newest member, Putnam High School.

"We have a lot of programs struggling and recognized we needed to do something," league commissioner Gary Makowicki said during a news conference at St. Bernard.

Strength-based scheduling will allow programs to move into divisions commensurate with their development. The current structure relegates programs to certain divisions based on enrollment with the ability to move. Example: The new structure would allow the Ledyard boys' basketball program to compete in Division I, while its girls could be placed in a lower division to ensure a fairer schedule, if necessary.

"This helps everyone's situation," Stonington athletic director Bryan Morrone said.

Programs that have struggled in recent years can be moved, based on recommendations from chairpersons of individual sports and input from athletic directors. It is likely, for example, that New London girls' soccer, outscored by more than 50 goals in Division I play last year, would be moved to a lower division.

Moreover, the divisions will change yearly, meaning that if a school makes a jump to a more competitive division, it could return to a more palatable place the following year.

"The changes make the league fair and equitable," Ledyard athletic director Jim Buonocore said. "There's more consistency in all phases. This was a historic vote. We'll look back in 10 or 20 years on this as the day that changed the ECC."

Putnam, which competes in the Constitution State Conference, will return to the ECC, where it was a member from 2000-2010. The CSC is disbanding after the 2016-17 academic year ends next month.

"Putnam fits in well with some of our smaller schools," Makowicki said.

League officials also agreed to two ECC tournaments in boys' and girls' soccer next year, adding to the two-tournament format in volleyball and basketball.

"With four divisions now, everyone will be placed accordingly at the beginning," Buonocore said. "This year, even though we got positive feedback, we didn't know which schools would play up and which would play down until the end of the year. Now, Division I and II will play a tournament and Division III and IV will play a tournament. Since everyone is placed accordingly, the games will be more competitive."

Officials also noted the spirit of cooperation from all parties.

"We had 18 adults working in the best interest of student-athletes in general," Makowicki said. "That's the attitude that carried the day. Is this going to solve the problems in everyone's programs? No. That's impossible. But it puts people in situations to have success."

m.dimauro@theday.com