Volleyball Rules

National Federation rules will govern play, subject to restrictions and exceptions laid down in the following rules:
A participant may play for only 1 team in each division (Men, Women, CoRec).

General Rules

Official Team: An official team shall consist of six (6) players. A minimum of four (4) players must be present to start, and continue the game to avoid a forfeit.

Club Restrictions: Each team will be limited to two (2) club members per team. This includes both men's and women's volleyball clubs.

Score Card: GAME TIME IS FORFEIT TIME! A team must report to the game official and be "ready to play" with the minimum number of players to avoid a forfeit. "Ready to play" means checked in with the proper game equipment and on the field ready to begin play at the scheduled game time. It is advised that teams show up 15 minutes prior to their scheduled start time.

Starting the Game: GAME TIME IS FORFEIT TIME! A team must report to the game official and be "ready to play" with the minimum number of players to avoid a forfeit. "Ready to play" means checked in with the proper game equipment and on the field ready to begin play at the scheduled game time. It is advised that teams show up 15 minutes prior to their scheduled start time.

Officials: Games are to be officiated by an intramural staff member. They are responsible for being the up referee. Teams playing will be responsible for monitoring the end/side lines.

Equipment

Shoes: Each player must wear athletic shoes. They must be non-marking.

Uniforms: All individuals participating in intramural volleyball must wear a shirt or tee shirt. It is recommended that each team's shirts be of the same color.

Illegal equipment: Any equipment that in the official's judgment would be injurious to participants is illegal to wear.

Game Regulations

Match Time: A match shall consist of the best two out of three games with a 40-minute maximum time limit. If it is in the third game and the score is tied when the horn sounds, a one point overtime will be played to determine the winner.

Playoff Time: No time limit shall be in place during playoff matches.

Game: The first team to reach 25 points is the winner (no cap, win by two). A point will be scored by rally point on each and every service. The third game will be played to 15.

Scoring: A point will be scored by rally point on each and every service.

Substitutes: A team may substitute only during a dead ball. The new player must take the original player's place in the rotation.

Timeouts: There will be no timeouts other than for injuries. Momentary timeouts will be allowed for substitutions.

Net: Women's & CoRec net height shall be 7' 4-1/4'. The net height shall be 8' for Men's division.

Basic Rules

Service: The team winning the toss of the coin shall name their choice of serve or court.

Player Position: Six players will compose a full playing team. All players must be in their correct position when the serve is made. Once the serve has been contacted, the players may change their line position. In other words, a front court player can switch with any other front or back court player and the same is applicable for the back court player. However, if a back court player exchanges with a front court player, he/she may not spike or block from his/her position in the front line.

Serving Area: The serving area is the area from the behind the back boundary line and six feet in depth.

Serve: For a legal serve, the server:

• Must throw or release the ball from the hand or hands before it is hit.
• Must serve from within the service area.
• May not hit the ball directly off the holding hand.
• May not hit the ball with both hands.
• May not step on the back line or inside the court until the ball is hit.

One re-serve will be permitted if the server fails to make contact after the initial toss. Let serves are permitted; the ball can hit the net on a serve. The receiving team cannot block a serve.

Legal Hit: A ball must be cleanly hit. It cannot come to rest momentarily in the hands or arms of a player. Scooping, lifting, pushing, and carrying the ball is illegal. A ball clearly hit with two hands from below is considered a good play. Helpful hints:

• Receive the serve with the two-hand "bump".
• Do not attempt to change directions of the ball with a two-hand set.
• Do not push the ball over the net or opponents in a "dink."
• Do not follow-through with the hands or arms in contact with the ball.

Hitting Ceiling: A ball striking the ceiling or apparatus over the court may remain in play providing it is played again by the offending team before it contacts an opponent, the opponents' playing area, or the out-of-bounds area.

Boundary Line: A ball landing on a boundary line is considered good.

Playing the Ball: The ball may be hit by any part of the body above and including the waist, except if the ball contacts one or more players participating in a block. These players may participate in the next contact.

Simultaneous Contact with Ball: The ball can contact any number of parts of the body down to the waist, providing the contacts are simultaneous and that the ball is not held but hit and rebounds clearly.

Double Contact: A player contacting the ball more than once with whatever part of the body, without any other player having touched it between these contacts, will be considered as having committed a double hit, except if the first contact was a block the same player may make the next contact.

Three Contacts by Team: The ball may be contacted a total of three times by a team in order to return the ball to opponent's area. A team that has affected an actual block shall have the right to three more contacts in order to return the ball to opponent's area.

Net Play: A ball other than the serve may be recovered from the net provided the player avoids touching the net.

Reaching Over Net: In returning the ball, a player may follow through over the net, providing he/she first contacts the ball on his/her own side of the net. Player(s) in the act of blocking may reach across the net but may not contact the ball there until their opponent has hit the ball to return it.

Crossing Center Line: During play, any part of a player's body may touch the center line, and in addition, his/her foot or feet may contact the playing area on the opposite side of the center line, providing that some part of each encroaching foot remains on or above the center line at time of such contact. Any part of a player's body may be in the air below the net and beyond the center if he/she does not interfere with the opponent's play by touching the ball or an opponent. A player may reach under the net to retrieve a ball that is in play by his/her team.

Conduct

All participants are expected to play according to the rules of the Division, Intramural Sports, and University Regulations. The staff of the Division of Recreational Sports reserves the right to penalize individual participants and/or teams for fighting or other unsportsmanlike conduct. Any individual or team that has or is consuming alcohol is subject to an automatic forfeiture. Since the use of alcohol is unsportsmanlike conduct, the Intramural Supervisors and Officials have the right to eject the player(s) or team and may forfeit the contest to the opponent. In addition, cases involving physical abuse of or between participants and/or spectators may be referred to the Office of the Dean of Students for possible action.

For additional information on protests, rescheduling, eligibility and more, please review the Intramural Sports Handbook.

Co-Rec Rules

Players: The number of players will be 6 (3 males and 3 females; or 4 males and 2 females and vice versa). If a team has 5 players they may have a combination of 3 males and 2 females or vice versa. A team may play with as few as 4 (2 males and 2 females; or 3 males and 1 female and vice versa).

Spiking: Males may not spike or drive a ball directly to the floor. Each return by a male must have a slight arch. Females may spike.

Contacts by Team: The ball may be contacted a total of three times by a team in order to return the ball to opponent's area. A team that contacts the ball more than once must have a female contact the ball at least once during the volley.

(Updated August 20, 2009 JPL)