Volleyball Rules

Governing Rules

The rules of the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations will apply in all cases except where a special Oregon State University Intramurals rule supersedes.

Eligibility

All participants must be either students registered at Oregon State University paying incidental fees or Faculty/Staff/Affiliate with a Recreational Sports Membership. For more information on eligibility, consult the Intramurals Handbook.

Equipment

No jewelry (earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, etc.) will be allowed on the court at any time. Players will need to remove jewelry immediately or leave the game.
- Jewelry cannot be covered by any medical tape, Band-Aid, or clothing of any sort. Any players found covering jewelry will need to remove it immediately or leave the game.
Appropriate athletic attire must be worn.
No shoes that leave black or scuff marks, boots, or sandals on the court will be permitted. Athletic, closed-toe shoes must be worn.
No hats are allowed.
No braces, casts, guards, or supports that may cause other players harm will be permitted.
OSU Sport Programs will provide balls for volleyball matches, but participants may bring their own volleyballs as desired.

Pre-Game

All participants will need to bring their ID card.
Team managers need to check in with the supervisor on duty before each game to verify their team’s roster.
Team managers need to verify all team members are on the score sheet.
Team managers will also take part in a pre-game conference with the officials five (5) minutes before game time.

Court Boundaries

The court is 60 feet by 30 feet and the net is set at 7'4" for Women’s and 7'11" for Men’s, CoRec, and Elite games.
The ceiling or rafters are playable provided the ball lands on the side of the net of the team that last played the ball (offensive team). Exception: On the serve, the ball is dead and a side-out is called.
The ball is out of bounds and becomes dead when it touches the wall, the antennas, referee’s platform, basketball hoop, backboard, supports, or enters a non-playable area.

Game Time

Game time listed on the schedule is the official game time.
You must have four (4) players on the court ready for play at game time; otherwise, a forfeit will be awarded to the opposing team. If a team is playing with only four (4) players, a side-out will not be called when the fifth/sixth (5th/6th) player would be serving in the rotation.
Scorekeepers will keep track of the official game score by using a scoreboard or flip chart on the court.

Playing Time

Best two of three games to win the match.
Rally scoring method will be used in every game, with a point scored on every service.
The first two games shall be 25 points and a team must win by 2 points (with a 30/29 point cap). The third game shall be the first team to 15 points (15-point cap, no going over).
If your team is not ready to play at your scheduled time when the official whistles to start the second game, you will forfeit the second game and the third game would then start if necessary.
There will be a one-minute intermission between games.
Game over: At the completion of the game each manager must sign the score sheet.

Time-Outs

Each team is allowed one 30-second time-out per game.
Timeouts cannot be carried over to the next game.
Yellow card issued for unnecessary delay during a time-out.

Substitutions

Team captains must notify the official which substitution rule they wish to follow for each game (not the match). This cannot be altered during a game.
1. Rule A: When a player is replaced in a game, that person can only re-enter the game by substituting for the person who replaced them. Eighteen (18) substitutions are allowed each game.
2. Rule B: All members rotate in after a point of rally. Rotations begin in front of the officials stand, left front or right front.
When using Rule A, each player must check in and out with the official.
A substitute arriving late may be put into the game during a dead ball situation.
When a team is playing with five (5) players, three (3) of them must be designated as front row players after each rotation. If only four (4) players are present, two (2) will be designated to the front row. If the fifth/sixth (5/6) player arrives, they may be added to the score sheet and enter the game on the next whistle. This does not count as a substitution.

Serves

The server shall hit the ball with one hand, fist, or arm while the ball is released by the server.
It is illegal to attack or block a serve.
A let serve is allowed. (A serve that hits the net and goes over to the receiving side is live.)

Conduct

The Intramurals program promotes positive sportsmanship at all contests and activities. Unsportsmanlike conduct includes actions which are unbecoming to an ethical, fair, and honorable individual. It consists of acts of deceit, disrespect, or vulgarity and includes taunting.

Ejections

Any player ejected from a game will be immediately suspended from participating in all Intramurals activities. The ejected player must then make an appointment with the Intramurals Sport Coordinator to determine the length of suspension and any other sanctions. The following actions can result in ejections from Intramurals Volleyball:

Improper language
Unsporting conduct

Co-Rec Modifications

Players

Each team will consist of six (6) players: three (3) men and three (3) women. A team may start with four (4) players and any 2-2 combination of players. A team may not have more than three (3) players of one gender on the court at any time.
Only two volleyball club members will be allowed on the team’s waiver/roster form.
Substitutions are allowed on a man-for-man and woman-for-woman basis, unless playing with four/five (4/5) players.

Additional Rules

Net height will be the men’s standard.
All other NIRSA Intramurals policies and Volleyball rules will apply.

Contact: Sport Programs Office, (541) 737-4083, 111 Dixon Recreation Center

Revised: 5/3/2023