Men’s/Women’s Volleyball

The official UC San Diego Intramural Rules for Men’s and Women’s Volleyball are patterned after interpretations used by the United States Volleyball Association (USVBA) national rules. Some modifications of these rules have been established to more efficiently program the sport of volleyball in our specific campus environment.

I. Team Size

A team consists of six players playing at one time. There shall be no limit to the number of eligible players on a team roster.
Teams must have at least four players present to start a match.
If one or both teams do not have 6 players present and ready at 5 minutes after game time, non-roster players may participate to form a whole team upon approval from the opposing team captain and may only play one match for any particular team. The referee must be notified concerning the participation of any non-roster player.

II. Eligibility

Only players listed on the official roster are eligible to participate on a volleyball team. All players must meet the eligibility participation requirements of the UC San Diego Intramural Sports office.
Additions and subtractions to official team rosters must be made prior to that team’s third league match. No team roster changes will be accepted after that time.
An individual may play on only one team.

No more than 2 members of the current UC San Diego Men’s or Women’s Intercollegiate or Club Volleyball teams are eligible to compete for an Intramural volleyball team. Any team utilizing varsity team members must play at the highest level of competition.

III. Equipment

Officials will provide all necessary equipment for the match.
Teams must provide their own ball for warm up.

IV. Court Dimensions

The top of the net shall be 2.43 meters (7-11) to the floor for men and 2.24 meters (7-4) for women. The area surrounding and enclosed by the side and end lines shall be considered “inbounds” and the area outside the side and end lines shall be declared “out-of-bounds.”

V. Length of Match

Matches are generally scheduled within a one-hour time frame. A match will consist of three games using rally scoring, the first two games to 25 points, the third game to 15 points.
- In rally scoring, points are scored on all served balls.
All three games played will be used to compute league standings. Match wins will have no significance on league standings for play-off purposes.
- However, post-season play-off matches will be a best 2-of-3 games format.
In games to 25 points, the first team to reach 25 points with at least a two point advantage will be declared the winner, with a cap set at 27. If the score is tied 26-26, the team winning the 27th point shall be the winner.
In games to 15 points, the first team to reach 15 points with a least a two point advantage will be declared the winner, with a cap set at 17.

VI. The Coin Toss

The winner of the coin toss at the beginning of the game shall have the choice of serve or side in both the first and third game. The loser of the coin toss receives the same option at the start of the second game.

VII. Starting the Match – Legal Serve

A legal serve is the act of putting the ball in play by the player beyond the back line and not outside of the width of the court.
The server must contact the ball with one hand or any part of one arm in an effort to direct the ball into the opponent’s court.
The server has five seconds from the time of the official’s signal to toss or release the ball for service.
The tossed ball for serve shall be cleanly hit for service. If the tossed ball is allowed to fall to the floor without being touched or caught, the service effort shall be cancelled and a re-serve will be directed by the official with a new 5 second count.
Under new rules interpretations, a serve that hits the net and drops toward the opponents side of the court, shall still be considered “in play.”
- The ball may be played by the receiving team, it may drop outside the court for a point by the receiving team, or it may drop inside the court for a point by the serving team.
At the instant the ball is contacted for service, the server shall not have any portion of the body in contact with the end line, the court, or the playing area outside the lines marking the width of the court area.
Players of the serving team must not, through screening, prevent those players from receiving serve from watching the server or the ball’s trajectory. Screening is illegal and is enforced by awarding a sideout.

VIII. Player Positions – Overlapping

In the front row or back row, the center player may not be as a near the right sideline as the right player nor as near the left sideline as the left player. The position of players is judged according to the position of their feet (in relation to the player adjacent to them) at the time the ball is contacted for serve.
No back row player may be as near the net as the corresponding front row player. After the ball is contacted for serve, players may move from their respective positions.
All players, with the exception of the server, must be fully on the court at the time the ball is contacted for service.
Violations of this rule, will be considered overlapping and is enforced with a point.

IX. Substitution

A substitute shall take the position of the player whom he or she is replacing. No change shall be made in the relative positions of other players when a substitution is made.
After a player (who has been replaced by a substitute) re-enters the game, the player shall enter in the original position in relation to his teammates. Free substitution is allowed but once a player is substituted for he/she must stay out of the game for 3 rotations.
Substitutions must be made in dead ball situations by making a request for substitution to the official.

X. Dead Ball

A ball in play becomes dead when:

(a) the ball touches the net, the antenna, or the net, cables or post outside the antenna;

(b) the ball does not pass over the net between the antennas or the “imaginary” extension of the sideline above the net;

(d) a served ball contacts the net or other object;

(e) a player commits a fault;

(f) the official blows a whistle.

XI. Serve Rotation

When the serving team commits a foul, fault or violation, the ball shall be given to their opponents who shall rotate one position clockwise. A point will be awarded.

XII. Play at the Net – Attacking

An attack, hit, or spike is an intentional effort to direct the ball into the opponent’s team area in other than a blocking action. A third hit by a team is considered to be an attack hit, regardless of intention.
A served ball is never considered to be an attack hit.
Examples of legal attack hits are:

Spike or Hit – an overhead armswing that forcibly drives the ball into the opponent’s court;

Tip or Dink – a fingertip attack that directs the ball into the opponent’s court;

Dump – a fingertip, overhead attack – commonly used by the setter on the second contact;

Overhead Pass – a two-hand overhead contact that directs the ball over the net.

It is illegal for a player to attack a served ball while the ball is completely above the height of the net. A player is also not allowed to attack the ball on the opponent’s side of the net.
If the ball is hit above the attacker’s side of the net and the resultant follow-through causes the attacker’s hand and arm to cross the net without contacting an opponent or the net, such action will not be considered a fault.

XIII. Play at the Net – Blocking

Blocking is an action close to the net which intercepts the ball coming from the opponent’s side by making contact with the ball before it crosses the net, as it crosses, or immediately after it has crossed the net.
Blocking may be legally accomplished only by players who are positioned in the front row at the time of service.
An attempt to block does not constitute a block unless the ball is contacted during that effort -an actual block is contact with the ball by one or more of the blockers.
Blockers may reach over the net to block, but may not contact the ball until after the completion of the opponents action which sends the ball towards the blocker’s side of the court.
Multiple contacts of the ball by a player or players participating in a block shall be legal provided it is during one attempt to intercept the ball.
Any player participating in a block shall have the right to make the next contact, with such contact counting as the first of a team’s 3 allowable contacts.
Blocking a served ball is illegal and considered a fault.
When there is simultaneous contact of the ball between opposing players, the official must not blow the whistle unless the ball is momentarily suspended between the hands of opposing players and clearly comes to rest. In such case, the point will be replayed.

XIV. Play at the Net – Center Line Limitations/Violations

If a player contacts the net during play with any part of the body or uniform, other than hair, it is a violation.
If the ball is driven into the net with such force that it causes the net to contact a player, such contact is not a violation.
Contacting the opponent’s team court with any part of the body except the feet is a violation.
- Touching the opponent’s team court with a foot or feet is not a violation providing that some part of the encroaching foot or feet remain on or above the center line.
- It is not a fault to enter the opponent’s team area after the ball has been declared dead.
- It is not a fault to cross the extension of the centerline outside the court. A player on the attacking team may play a ball that has not fully passed beyond the plane of the net. Opponents may not interfere with a player making a play on such a ball.
If a player accidentally (not intentionally) contacts any part of the net supports (a post, a cable, the referee’s stand, etc.), such contact shall not be counted as a fault provided that it has no effect on the sequence of play.
- If the net support equipment is grasped or used as a means of support to avoid a violation, such action would constitute a fault.

XV. Back Row Players

A back row player, forward of the 3-meter (10-foot) line, returning a ball across the net, must contact the ball from below the level of the top of the net.
This restriction would not apply to a back row player whose take-off to jump is clearly behind the 3-meter line. After contacting the ball, such a player may land on or in front of the 3-meter line.

XVI. Simultaneous Contacts with the Body

The ball can contact any number of parts of the body, providing such contacts are simultaneous and the ball rebounds immediately and cleanly after such contact.

XVII. Simultaneous Contacts by Teammates

Simultaneous contacts of the ball by more than one player of the same team are allowed and are considered two contacts. Players participating in such a play may not participate in the next play.

XVIII. Contacting the Ball

The ball may contact any part of the body.

XIX. Double Foul

When players on opposing teams commit fouls simultaneously, the official shall direct a play-over. Points are not scored on a double foul.

XX. Interference

A ball may not strike one or more times on the ceiling and/or fixtures which intrude upon the height of the court or that of the surrounding area of play. The ball becomes dead and a point results.
When a foreign object (a ball other than the game ball) enters the court during play, the official may stop play and direct a play-over.

XXI. Ball Handling Interpretations

“AAA” and “AA” level volleyball will observe strict interpretation of ball handling skill. All overhand sets must be contacted cleanly and distinctly.
“A” level volleyball will observe a looser interpretation of ball handling skill. Volleyball officials will have sole discretion in determining the interpretation of ball handling skill required.
When presented with setters that have distinctly different levels of ball handling skills, volleyball officials are instructed to establish an interpretation of skill that matches the highest skill of the two setters.
In all levels of play, the serve receiving team may handle the first serve in almost any manner as long as the ball is not clearly “held”.

XXII. Timeouts

A team is allowed one time-out in each game without penalty.
Each time out in excess of one taken by or charged to a team shall be penalized by a point.
Time-outs shall not exceed 45 seconds. While the ball is dead the playing captain may make a request for time out to the official, but requests for time-outs shall not be granted after the official has blown his/her whistle to indicate readiness for play.

XXIII. Unsportsmanlike Conduct

From the moment when the team captains are called together for the coin toss until the conclusion of the match, the official shall have the power to warn, to declare a point, or to disqualify for the game, any player who commits in the official’s opinion a gross violation of sportsmanship. Derogatory remarks or actions to either officials or other players will not be tolerated under the rules of the sport.