The NCAA Women’s Volleyball Rules Committee has recommended a change to the challenge system used for next season – combine the in/out and touch call.
With this proposed change and if approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, the rule will go into effect immediately for the 2018 season. All rules regarding women’s volleyball rules will be discussed by the panel in late February.
The main purpose of the proposed change is to make it the ruling less specific because under the rule now, in/out challenges and touch call challenges are different and have to be specified prior to the challenge. This leaves the possibility for the challenge asked for to be not be overturned but another call found while reviewing not being able to be used.
The challenge system has been in effect for two seasons now, with the most common challenges coming as in/out calls and touch calls. In the 2017 season, challenges were marked down to 1 minute and 30 seconds per challenge on average.
In addition to the challenge call, the committee has recommended a number of other changes for the 2018 season:
- allowing coaches to challenge 3-meter line attacks
- allowing an additional challenge when a match goes to a fifth set
- libero jerseys need to be distinctively different from all other jerseys and from every angle
- shorten intermission in between sets two and three from 10 minutes to 5 minutes to keep the pace of the game up
The proposed changes are to help the refs who may have a hard time determining certain calls based on a heightened level of athleticism in athletes. While adding another challenge to a match extending into a fifth set would be beneficial because of the shortened match length and that it is considered an “overtime” in the sport.
The challenge rule would only benefit certain programs though, as not every program in the country has the access to a challenge system. It is most notably used in the Big Ten and during the NCAA Tournament – including Regional play this year (Sweet 16 and on).
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