USIAA Water Polo Rules:
Scholarship and Roster Rules:
- All programs can only have a max of 15 players during the regular season; this limit is lifted to 125 players for preseason tryouts only.
- All programs can choose whether to allow athletic scholarships or not; start-up programs are given a max of 5 years to decide whether or not to provide athletic scholarships to players.
- All men's scholarship programs can only have a max of 4.5 total scholarships, and a max of 2 full scholarship players.
- All women's scholarship programs can only have a max of 8 total scholarships, and a max of 4 full scholarship players.
- All programs can only have a max of 12 players on the active roster for all regular season games.
- All programs are required to give all 3 inactive players free season tickets in the designated student sections for all home games.
- Roster & Substitutions:
a) Teams have 7 players (6 "field" players & a goalkeeper) in the pool at any time; The active roster is 22 players & the maximum players on any roster is 33.
b) If there are less than 6 swimmers in the water, a team does not have to have a goalie.
c) Substitutions may be made at any time during a game (like hockey) but the players must make the exchange in a specific area behind their own goal line, called the re-entry area. - Each game is made up of 4 7-minute quarters; There is a 35-second shot clock.
- If there is a tie at the end of regulation time:
a) There are two overtime periods, each three minutes long, with the team scoring the most goals declared the winner.
b) If there is still a tie after overtime, then a shoot-out is held. Five players from each team shoot for the goal.
c) If there is still a tie, then the same 5 shoot again until one misses and the other scores a goal. - The game starts with all players lined up at their own goal line. The referee blows a whistle and throws the ball into play at mid-pool.
- No one except the goalie may touch the ball with more than one hand at a time. The ball is not to be totally submerged at any time.
- All fouls result in a change in possession of the ball or a penalty shot if it occurred within a zone 5-meters from the goal.
- There are minor fouls (one whistle blast from the referee) which result in just a change in possession:
a) Pushing the ball underwater (even if you are forced to do so by a defensive player)
b) Touching the ball with both hands
c) Coming into contact with the arm of a player that has the ball
d) Hitting the ball with a fist
e) Throwing the ball out-of-bounds
f) Pushing of the poolside, pool bottom, or another player - A major foul (two whistle blasts) results in the guilty player removal from the game for a 20-seconds, which creates unbalanced situations. There are also fouls (called "brutality" fouls) which result in a 4-minutes ejection for intentionally hitting or kicking someone; a player could also be ejected from the game, with the missing player replaced after 20-seconds. Players getting more than two major fouls are out of the game. When possession changes, the offense gets a free throw from the spot of the foul, an unhindered chance to pass the ball to another player within about 3-seconds.
- List of Major Fouls:
a) Intentionally holding the player with the ball
b) Interfering with a free throw
c) Pushing another player underwater (called sinking the player)
d) Swearing
e) The player with the ball intentionally pushing another player (think "offensive foul" in basketball) - The Officials:
a) There are two referees, two goal judges, several timekeepers and secretaries.
b) Each has specific duties. The referees control the field of play and watch for fouls. The goal judges determine if a ball shot at the goal scores. The timekeepers and secretaries keep track of goals, game time, penalty time, the shot clock, number of penalties per player, and other game statistics. - All players must wear colored swim caps that tie under their chin to identify themselves to their teammates and to identify the goalie. The caps have special plastic cups over ear holes to protect the player's ears.
- 4 points for a win.
- 2 points for a draw.
- 1 "bonus" point for scoring at least 5 goals.
- 1 "bonus" point for winning while scoring at least 3 more goals than the opponent.
- 1 "bonus" point for losing by 4 points or less.
- 1 "bonus" point for losing in overtime.
- All men's programs play a 30-game season (15h/15a) beginning in the first Saturday of September and ending in the second Saturday of November.
- All women's programs play a 30-game season (15h/15a) beginning in the last week of January and ending in the last week of April.
- A max of 16 (8h/8a) non-conference games are allowed; all non-conference games are required to be against teams that are within 700 miles of the program in question.
- The Men's & Women's D1 Tournaments are 32-team single-elimination tournaments beginning on the first week of March and ending 5 weeks later.
- To be eligible for the post season, all programs must have a minimum record of 15-15 (or 14-16 with good academic standing), and not be on probation.