Updated January 2025

Note--Except in the case of emergencies or approval by the conference office, changes to sport regulations by sport committees must be proposed no later than 30 days prior to in-person conference meetings, and approved by the Advisory Board meeting held prior to the start of each subsequent season--May meetings for Fall sports, October meetings for Winter sports, January meetings for Spring sports.  (Updated May 2022)

These regulations are mandatory for all PacWest Volleyball Games.

SECTION 1.0 PLAYING SEASON AND SCHEDULING

1.1 Scheduling shall be proposed by the conference office and approved by the Athletic Directors. Changes to the approved schedule need written signatures from the competing teams involved and written approval from the Commissioner.  Agreements for conference contests shall be initiated by the athletic representative of the host institution to the visiting institution for approval no later than 30-days prior to the official start of the NCAA season.  (Updated May 2022)

1.2 Weekend getaway times may be agreed upon between institutions with approval from the Commissioner. Weekend getaway dates are defined as the final game of a road series outside the pod (or geographical region, i.e. Hawai'i, NorCal/San Francisco Bay area, Southern California). Requesting weekend getaway times is the responsibility of the visiting school and must be made by July 1 for fall sports, September 1 for winter sports, and December 1 for spring sports.  Weekend getaway dates must be accommodated by the home school, as long as the visiting team is making a flight (or departing) that same day/night.  A request may be denied by the Home school if they have multiple home events scheduled on that same date.  (Updated May 2013, revised May 2014, May 2022)

Times for such weekend getaway dates shall be mutually agreed upon between schools in writing with written approval by the Commissioner.  Weekend getaway dates are Saturday or Sunday, and federal holidays that fall on Mondays (Updated June 2011). The final home game of the season (traditionally known as Senior Night) is exempt from the Weekend Getaway Date Rule. (Updated February 2011)

1.3 All member institutions shall observe the NCAA starting date for pre-season practice regardless of geographic location. No geographic exceptions are allowed.

SECTION 2.0 GAME MANAGEMENT/CONDITIONS OF COMPETITION

2.1 PacWest Conference matches are to be governed under the NCAA Women's Volleyball Rules and Interpretations for the current season. Institutions are responsible for adhering to the current rule changes as described in this publication.

2.2 Rules that govern the conduct of the match and its surroundings shall be in accordance with the NCAA Championship Handbook General Regulations.

2.3 The visiting team shall have opportunity equal to the host team for pre-match practice, including equipment usage.

2.3.1 Practice and warm up schedules should be set and communicated in writing to all conference institutions at least one week prior to the start of the conference season (except in cases where an institution is not in control of their own facilities). Institutions with facility-issues should make their best effort to reserve appropriate gym space and time, communicated in writing to visiting teams, and work with the conference office to ensure that visiting conference teams are accommodated.

2.3.2 The host institution will make every effort to provide the visiting team quality practice time on the day before and/or the day of the game, with consideration give to the health, safety, and welfare of the student-athlete and respect and consideration for visiting teams.  The length of the practice time should be a minimum of 80 minutes on the day before the game. The home team shall provide volleyballs, same specifications as the game ball, at practice time. The 80 minutes will end with 00:00 on the clock at the designated match start time when the national anthem and introduction will begin. 

2.4 Schedules for requested pre-match practices need to be established 30 days prior to the match so that the visiting teams can finalize their travel plans.  Once these schedules and times are set, they cannot be changed unless both schools mutually agree to the change.

2.5 A seating area consisting of three (3) rows located behind both team benches remain empty when bench areas that are separate from the bleachers cannot be provided.

2.6 No complimentary tickets shall be provided to visiting team.

2.7 Visiting Cheerleaders in uniform, including a mascot, are to be admitted free for conference contests.

2.8 All match arrangements, including but not limited to the visiting team radio and/or television broadcasting crews and special groups, should be approved by the host institution athletic director 72 hours prior to the event.

2.9 It is the responsibility of the host institution to ensure the following requirements are met:

2.9.1 Provide the visiting team(s) a secured meeting or locker room, including a private lavatory nearby. If the visiting team requires shower access, they are to request shower access at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled contest.

2.9.2 Provide ice, water and cups/bottles to both competing teams prior to and during the match as well as or during pre-match practice.

2.9.2.1 For Athletic Trainers--

a) Responsibilities of Host Athletic Trainer--when visiting team has a athletic trainer present, includes ice, water, cups, water bottles, emergency items

b) when visiting team does not have a athletic trainer present, includes ice, water, cups, water bottles, emergency items and visiting athletic trainer should send their medicine kit with the team and communicate specific treatment information to host school, athletic trainer to athletic trainer.

c) All communication/requests between athletic trainers must occur prior to a visiting team's departure.

2.9.3 The host institution must provide a reserved parking space or a parking pass for an easily accessible and safe area to all assigned officials and the visiting team’s travel party. (Updated January 2025)

2.9.4 Provide all personnel necessary for the conduct of the matches, including, but not limited to:

• Administrator in Charge - The Host School Administrator in Charge should be available at all times throughout the event and should not be a coach involved in the game. The administrator in charge shall be on site throughout the competition and must introduce themselves to the opposing coach and/or opposing administrator prior to the contest. (Updated May 2022)
• NATA certified Athletic Trainer/Physician
• Sports Information Director or designee
• Official Scorer
• Official Statistician
• Scoreboard Operators
• Public Address Announcer

2.9.4.1 All personnel shall be qualified adults regularly assigned to these positions. The official scorer shall keep score in accordance with the most recent NCAA Rules Manual, and statisticians shall record statistics in accordance with the most recent NCAA Volleyball Statisticians' Manual.

2.9.5 Ensure adequate security, and for enforcing all crowd control standards per NCAA Championship Handbook General Regulations. Additionally, team personnel shall have unimpeded access to and from their respective meeting rooms. At facilities in which there is only one common entry and exit to the court, the host institution shall assist and/or escort the teams, as necessary.

2.9.6 Provide the following to all game officials before, during and after each contest:

• a) private dressing room
• b) adequate security
• c) water
• d) an escort to the officials' dressing room
• e) towels
• f) a clock monitor to notify the officials when 3 minutes remain before the end of the intermission.

2.9.7 Report all instances of misconduct and unsportsmanlike behavior in any PacWest athletic contests to the Commissioner, Volleyball Administrative Liaison and the visiting team Director of Athletics or designee. All player or coach ejections resulting from unsportsmanlike conduct are to be reported to the PacWest Commissioner in writing by host personnel immediately following the contest, and may result in suspension upon review by the Commissioner.

2.10 TIMING COUNTDOWN SHEETS

2.10.1 The host institution must distribute a timing countdown sheet for each match to the administrator in charge, each head coach, the head referee, official scorer, public address announcer and scoreboard operator 90 minutes prior to the start of the match.

2.10.2 - Pre-Match Protocol for Conference Matches 

The competition court must be set up and available (to the opponent) at least 75 minutes before the scheduled match time.

The protocol to be followed is (Updated May 2016): 

80:00-60:00- Home team practice

60:00-40:00- Visiting team practice

Begin Required NCAA Standard Protocol: 

40:00- 19:00- Court available for shared warm-up

30:00- Coin toss                 

19:00- 15:00- Visiting team court

15:00-11:00- Home team court

11:00-6:00- Visiting team court

6:00-1:00- Home team court

3:00- Line-ups due, may be changed until 1:00

1:00- Team huddle/announcements

0:00- Match begins with National Anthem and introductions

*The visiting team shall make the full court available to the home team for 15 minutes immediately prior to the start of the NCAA-mandated 75-minute pre-match countdown.  As a courtesy, the visiting team and coaching staff shall leave the gym during the host team 15-minute pre-match practice (an exception is granted to staff members/players who are members of the pre-match game management staff.) Additionally, the host institution shall make the full court available to the visiting team for 15 minutes immediately prior to the start of the NCAA-mandated 60-minute pre-match countdown.  As a courtesy, the host team and coaching staff shall leave the gym during the visiting team 15-minute pre-match practice (an exception is granted to staff members/players who are members of the pre-match game management staff.) (Updated January 2015)

(Note regarding Late Arrival - No adjustments are made to the warm-up protocol when a team arrives within 60 minutes of the match start time (i.e., when the first referee is ready to begin the match), unless the home institution has been notified that the team is delayed. If notification is given, the standard pre-match protocol should start when the delayed team arrives on the court. The shared court time period of 41 minutes may be reduced to a minimum of 10 minutes, in the case of a late arrival.)

^Pre-Match Coin Toss - Before the start of a match, the referees conduct a coin toss near the scorekeeper's table with a representative(s) of each team. The visiting team representative calls the toss. The winner of the toss chooses either to serve or to receive the serve for the first set.

2.10.2.1 - A team's pre-match warm-up activities, including laps, are confined to its team area whenever

1. Both teams are in their respective team areas
2. The teams are sharing the court per the warm-up protocol

2.10.2.2 - When teams share the court during the pre-match warm-up period, team members may not intentionally enter or cause balls to enter the opponent's playing area.

2.10.2.3 - During the pre-match warm-up, when one team has exclusive use of the court, the other team must be at its team bench or out of the playing area. If a team chooses not to use any portion of its exclusively allocated time on the court, the court remains unoccupied.

2.10.2.4 - During the pre-match warm-up, any nonplaying area used for warmup should be equitably available to both teams.

2.10.3 - The host team may slightly adjust the actual match time start (e.g. 7:00 to 7:05 p.m.) to accommodate radio or television networks that are broadcasting the contest live.

2.11 Shared Hitting - Shared hitting is permitted between games.  It was explained that this rule permits student-athletes who don't play in a game to stay loose in between games.

2.12 Official Roster and Starting Lineup Submission - Coaches must submit to the official scorer and referee their roster card with a starting lineup designated no later than 5 minutes prior to match time.

2.13 Public Address Policies

2.13.1 The exact same information (e.g. roster information, scoring sequence credits, etc.) must be provided for both the home and visiting teams at all times.

2.13.2 The following public address announcement shall be made a minimum of twice per match.

"The PacWest promotes good sportsmanship by student-athletes, coaches and spectators, and requests your cooperation by supporting the participants and officials in a positive manner. Profanity, racial or sexist comments, or other intimidating actions directed at officials, student-athletes, coaches or team representatives will not be tolerated and are grounds for removal from the site of competition."

SECTION 3.0 CHAMPIONSHIPS

3.1 The winner of the PacWest Championship shall be declared the PacWest Champion and earn the automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. 

3.2 In the case of a tie for first place in the final conference standings, co-champions shall be declared. (Updated May 2016)

3.3 The tiebreaker criteria (Updated October 2024) for the automatic berth (or other situations where a tie-breaker is necessary) shall be:

1. Match W-L percentage among teams tied
2. Set W-L percentage among teams tied
3. Point ratio among teams tied
4. Overall conference set W-L percentage
5. Overall conference point ratio
6. Coin flip

* In the event of a multiple-team tie, each team's record against the other teams involved in the tie will be compiled and winning percentage determined. The team(s) with the highest winning percentage will be chosen. Teams involved do not have to have played each other the same number of times.

** Record based on winning percentage. If multiple teams have the same record, compare each school's combined record against all teams in that place of the standings

SECTION 4.0 EQUIPMENT

4.1 Equipment provided for warm-up and competition shall be in accordance with NCAA minimum standards stated in the playing rules.

4.2 The official ball used for all conference games shall be the official ball of NCAA Championships. (Updated May 2022)

4.3 Facilities shall be in accordance with NCAA minimum standards and restrooms shall be accessible at all sites to teams and spectators.

4.4 Two carts of 25 properly inflated balls shall be available during pass/serve and pre-game warmups. (February 2023)

SECTION 5.0 OFFICIALS

5.1 Officials' jurisdiction over a match begins no earlier than 30 minutes prior to the scheduled match start time.

5.2 Game officials must be certified by an accredited collegiate association or governing body.

5.3 No current faculty, staff or student of a member institution may officiate a contest in which his or her institution is competing in with the following exception: officials may officiate a contest if 10 years have elapsed since their enrollment at, or affiliation with, a competing institution.

5.4 When one (1) official reports to the event site, the match shall be played.

5.4.1 Officials will not utilize video replays for in-contest rulings. (Updated May 2016)

5.5 The Conference shall have a Supervisor of Officials for Women's Volleyball.  Responsibilities of the conference supervisor of officials shall include:

1. Establishing an evaluation process for review and rating of PacWest conference officials in women's volleyball.
2. Maintaining knowledge of NCAA volleyball rules and officiating techniques.
3. Scheduling and conducting annual seminars and/or clinics directed toward the development of PacWest officials. 
4. Recommending the PacWest women's volleyball officials who are under consideration to the NCAA for participation in the Division II Women's Volleyball Championships.
5. Annual evaluation of PacWest officials. Evaluations will be based on personal observation, video, written reports and other appropriate input, including input from local observers and coaches.
6. Establishing and maintaining channels of communication with PacWest women's volleyball officials and local observers regarding updating knowledge, improving skills, and providing NCAA interpretations, and other officiating areas as considered appropriate.
7. Reporting to the Commissioner in a timely manner any observed or reported misconduct by an official, a coach or any other institutional representative.
8. Recommending to the Commissioner appropriate disciplinary action for officials deemed guilty of misconduct following a thorough investigation by or at the request of the Commissioner.
9. Preparing, when requested, an annual review of PacWest women's volleyball officiating.
10. Serving, when requested, on NCAA Officials Evaluation Committee at NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championships.
11. Attention to any other concerns related to women's volleyball officiating, as directed by the Commissioner.
12. Serving as the Central Assignor for all regions of the conference.

5.6 Finalized schedules including non-conference matches shall be submitted to the Officials Assignor(s) and Conference Office not later than July 1 prior to the season.  (January 2025)

5.7 Conference member institutions are responsible for the payment of all officials assigned to their home regular season contests unless an alternative agreement regarding officials’ payment has been made with the Conference Office or the opposing institution in advance of the contest. Official fees are designated by the Conference Office and payment to the official must be issued within 30 days of the date of the contest they officiated via the designated platform. The payment platform designated by the Conference Office (e.g., RefQuest) should be used by the institution to issue payment to officials. Prior to the start of each sports season, a member of each institution’s staff should be designated as the point person on the payment platform (e.g., RefQuest Pay) and this person will be responsible for ensuring that officials’ payments are issued in accordance with this regulation. (January 2025)
 

SECTION 6.0 AMPLIFIERS, NOISEMAKERS AND OTHER SOUND GENERATING DEVICES

6.1 Per NCAA rule, artificial noisemakers, airhorns or electronic amplifiers shall not be permitted, and such instruments shall be removed from the playing and spectator areas.

6.2 Bands or any component there of, shall not play while the match is in progress.

6.3 Host institution bands may not be seated behind the visiting team bench.

6.4 Host institution student sections may not be located behind the visiting team bench.

6.5 Auxiliary public address systems utilized by home or visiting institution spirit groups must:

1. Be approved by the home event management and coordinated with the primary public address system so as not to interrupt, alter or in any other way impede the function of the primary public address system.
2. Must not be used with the intent of preventing a team a reasonable and fair environment in which to compete.

6.5.1 Any violation of this provision shall immediately result in the discontinued use of the system.

6.6 Airhorns may only be used by home team game management for substitution and other game-related purposes.

6.7 Use of whistles is the exclusive right of the game officials.

6.8 Amplifying devices such as megaphones may not be used to direct obscenities, vulgar language, racist or sexist remarks toward any participants, spectators, or officials at any time. Violations to this provision shall result in immediate confiscation of the device(s), and possible removal of violator from the venue.

SECTION 7.0 SPORTS INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS

7.1 Each Conference member shall designate a SID and see that the institution is in compliance with all Sports Information guidelines stated herein.

7.2 Upon completion of the contest, the home team is to distribute as soon as possible to the visiting team coaching staff and visiting team sports information office. This is to include a full boxscore and the official NCAA scoresheets or play-by-play to the visiting team coaching staff upon request. Distribution of the final boxscore and the play-by-play to visiting team sports information is to be done electronically (e.g., E-Mail).

7.3 The host sports information department is responsible for sending final statistics (boxscore only) electronically to the Pac West office the day of the contest.

7.4 The host SID shall ensure that the public address announcer confers with a representative of the visiting team to gather pertinent information, including any roster changes and proper pronunciations for team personnel.

7.5 Officials' complete names must be noted on all final box scores.

7.6 All teams, both home and visiting, and officials are entitled to a 10-minute cooling-off period following the match. The 10-minute period commences once that team reaches its locker room. Upon request from the media for a rules interpretation, the host SID will obtain that interpretation from the officiating crew chief. The officials may not be interviewed concerning judgment calls.

7.7 The score of the contest and, whenever possible, short boxes shall be distributed to the local media bureau immediately upon availability.

7.8 It is mandatory that all home teams provide a complimentary phone line (with long distance access) for the visiting team radio broadcaster. There will be no charge for use or installation of the line(s) however all long distance charges are to be billed to the originating station or visiting team. It is suggested that visiting team radio broadcasters alert the home SID of their intent to utilize the broadcast lines at least seven days prior to the contest.

7.9 Visiting media shall coordinate requests for credentials and phone access through their local SID at least 24 hours in advance of the event. It is understood that when press section seating is limited, the priority shall be as follows:

• Official Scorer and Statistical Crews
• Radio/TV broadcasters phone access
• National media
• Local daily print media
• Visiting daily print media (or stringer)
• Host SID
• Visiting SID
• Local/Visiting periodical/weekly print media

7.10 Visiting team SIDs must request press section seating 24 hours in advance of the event.

7.11 Upon request from the host SID, the visiting SID, whether traveling with the team or not, is to provide releases, prospectus/media guides, and updated statistics for distribution to the media in attendance at the contest.

7.12 Uniform numbers for home and away jerseys for each conference sport shall be identical.

7.13 Numerical rosters for each conference sport shall be provided to the conference office for distribution to member schools no later than two weeks prior to the first regularly scheduled contest.

7.14 The visiting institution is responsible for communicating its broadcast type to the host institution at least 48 hours prior to game time. After receiving notification, the host institution shall determine which timeout procedure is warranted and shall state the procedure to be used on its pre-match timing sheet.

7.15 VIDEO POLICY

7.15.1 The home team shall provide a video to the visiting team immediately after each match.  The video camera must be positioned at the center of the end-line and at a minimum height of 10 feet. The videographer shall make every effort to include all players on the court in the shots.

7.15.2 All conference matches and all DII non-conference matches shall be uploaded to the designated video exchange server (VolleyMetrics) within the time frame noted in 7.15.3 (Updated May 2017)  

7.15.3 The host institution is responsible for loading the entire contest video onto the PacWest designated video exchange server (VolleyMetrics) within 24 hours of completion of play, or up to 48 hours if the next day is a Sunday or a holiday.  A short extension of time will be allowed for teams participating in DII non-conference tournaments on the road where video is out of their control to upload their video upon returning home (Updated January 2014) (In these circumstances, teams must notify the PacWest office if video upload will not completed within time guidelines.)  

7.15.4 A PacWest institution that is participating in a tournament may record any match at the PacWest facility. (Updated January 2015)

7.15.5 Violations to this protocol are to be reported by the Director of Athletics or his/her designee to their opposing counterparts and the PacWest Commissioner within five (5) business days. The penalty for not providing video by deadlines is $250 for the first offense and $500 for the second offense, paid to the conference office—with funds received used for conference special projects.

7.15.5.1 After first warning, the penalty for failure to upload less than a full contest or to upload a video deemed poor quality is $250, enforced after review at the discretion of the Commissioner. 

7.15.5.2 The conference office should be notified if procedures are not being followed.  The responsibility for the uploading and downloading of video rests with the coaching staff of each institution, working in compliance with their own institutional staffing.  Members have been provided with contact information for the conference designated video server (VolleyMetrics) and procedures to follow. Athletic directors are responsible for ensuring that their member institution is providing good quality video.  (For Volleymetrics support, email Hudl support at support@hudl.com or call 402-403-4999 (option 2).

7.15.6 No "live" scouting of conference opponents is permitted, unless teams are involved in a same site tournament. Conference institutions may not share information with non-conference teams/institutions.

7.15.7 All PacWest Institutions must subscribe to the "Silver" level of Volleymetrics. (January 2025)
 

SECTION 8.0 SPORTS MEDICINE REQUIREMENTS

8.1 The host institution shall provide the following to visiting teams:

1. Access to the athletic training room for treatments and taping two (2) hours prior to the scheduled match.
2. Emergency equipment ready for use.
3. Hospital facility maps.

8.2 The visiting team shall provide:

1. Timely notification to the host team's athletic trainer if a athletic trainer is unable to accompany the traveling team.
2. An athletic training kit for its own use that is to include emergency medical cards containing the following information: athlete's name, address, emergency contact with phone number, brief medical information including medication allergies and insurance information.
3. A written note for any athlete requiring treatment by modalities other than heat or an ice pack.

8.3 In the event of injury to an athlete on a visiting team, the host athletic trainer will facilitate proper treatment, notify the appropriate athletic administrator of the visiting team if the injury is severe or catastrophic, and send an injury report form or written notification to the visiting team's athletic trainer.

SECTION 9.0 AWARDS

Volleyball All-Conference Awards -- please refer to Appendix C Sports Information Operating Code.

SECTION 10.0 TOBACCO USAGE

10.1 Tobacco usage by athletes, coaches, officials and event staff is strictly prohibited at all PacWest athletic events, including practice sessions.

10.2 Violators are subject to contest suspension for each offense. Following a team's first offense, head coaches in addition to the violator are subject to suspension for each additional offense.

SECTION 11.0 COACHES MEETINGS

There shall be two meetings of the coaches annually, one prior to the season and one after the season. The site, date, and time of these mandatory meetings must be communicated to all coaches and administrators at least two weeks prior to the meeting.

SECTION 12.0 ITEMS NOT COVERED

Items not covered in conference regulations shall adhere to NCAA rules and regulations.  The Conference office shall have the authority to levy fines or other penalties deemed appropriate for violations of sport regulation. Such penalties shall be appealable to the Committee on Appeals.

SECTION 13.0 FOLLOW UP

Violations to the PacWest Game Management Protocol are to be reported by the Director of Athletics or other designated athletic dept. administrator to the opposing athletic administrators and the PacWest Commissioner within five (5) business days. Additionally, all ejections resulting from unsportsmanlike conduct are to be reported to the PacWest Commissioner in writing by host personnel immediately following competition.