Interesting technique change for NCAAW
 

Division I will remain at 15 subs.

Divisions II and III will go to 18 subs.

According the rulebook, coaches start to get notified at 12 subs. For *all* levels.

I wonder if that's a typo. Seems to be a lot of notifications. Potentially the R2 could be notifying coaches 14 times (or more, if they are asked for the sub count before 12) per set.

I’m guessing it’s not intentional, just overlooked.

In the college game, how often are they getting close to the sub limit outside of sets that go past 25?

It really just depends on the depth of the teams playing and the side out / rotation percentage. I would say it's rare a team gets to 15 subs before getting to 25, but with the increase to 18 in D2 and 3, we might see more DS subs for outsides in addition to 6-2 subs.

I'm just really hoping they realize how much we would have to bother coaches by notifying them from 12-18.

I didn’t work that particular match, the coach told me the (not) funny (for them) story…
That team used to be in NAIA, and this was their first season in NCAA D2. Accustomed to NAIA’s unlimited subs, they got carried away and ended up with a 5 feet (generously measured) short defensive specialist rotate to front.:) I don’t think she could even reach above the net, much less block. The other team took full advantage. The score was past 25 though.

Just in from the national coordinator:

NCAA DII AND DIII SUBSTITUTIONS
For all NCAA DII and DIII matches, beginning this year:
• Each team is allowed up to 18 substitutions per set.
• There is an updated scoresheet for NCAA DII and DIII to include the additional substitutions.
• NCAA DI will continue to use 15 substitutions and will use the same scoresheet as last season.
• The R2 will continue to announce the substitution totals to the teams beginning at 12 total substitutions in
all divisions. We know there is a discrepancy in the 2026-27 NCAA Rules Book that says the scorer
should begin announcing the totals at 15 substitutions. Make sure your scorer knows to start announcing
the substitution totals at 12 in all divisions.
• If an early season match includes a team from DI and a team from DII or DIII, check with the host
school’s conference coordinator for information on substitution totals used for that match. Also, make
sure both teams are aware of this total during the pre-match meet and greet with the coaches

I am attending the clinic tomorrow and just went through the materials.
Left me with the persistent feeling that the rules committee went out of their way to create rules that make little to no sense and will for sure confuse and aggravate players, coaches and referees. Sounded all good when I heard the summary of the upcoming changes, but then when I got into the details…
Almost makes you wonder if they do that intentionally so they’ll have what to change/improve next year…

Oh, and now there is a rule committee for D1 and another for D2&3.
Just what we need - more rule committees. :mad: Instead of working towards unifying the sport at all levels, they are actively breaking it up more. Job security and ego are more important, I guess.