New High School Volleyball Rule Eliminates Judgment Call on Second Contact

February 3, 2025

New Rule Changes in High School Volleyball Focus on Improving Game Flow and Reducing Disputes Between Coaches and Officials

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 3, 2025) — A significant rule change in high school volleyball eliminates the judgment call on second contacts, now allowing players to make multiple contacts on the second touch, as long as the next contact is made by a teammate on the same side of the net. This update is part of the 2025-26 high school volleyball rule changes approved at the NFHS Volleyball Rules Committee meeting held January 12-14. All proposed changes were later confirmed by the NFHS Board of Directors.

The amendment to Rule 9-4-8c adds second contact to the list of permissible multiple contacts, alongside the first touch and the ball contact during a block. This change not only removes the need for officials to make a judgment call but also ensures play continues without granting any advantage to the team that made the multiple contacts.

“The multiple contact fault has often led to disputes between coaches and officials, affecting the flow of the game,” said Lindsey Atkinson, NFHS Director of Sports and liaison to the Volleyball Rules Committee. “By removing this fault, we aim to reduce tensions and improve the match environment for everyone involved.”

Another key revision concerns the use of a textured ball, as stated in Rule 3-2-1 NOTE. Starting in the 2026-27 season, state associations may choose to adopt the use of a textured ball – common in boys’ volleyball – for both boys’ and girls’ matches. The new rule lifts restrictions on the ball’s panel color and shape, while the guidelines for smooth balls will remain unchanged.

Uniform guidelines were also updated. Under Rule 4-2-4, beginning in 2029, uniform numbers must be centered on the upper half of the jersey, eliminating the previous requirement for the number to be positioned exactly 5 inches from the top and bottom.

A change to Rule 4-2-1 now allows players to wear solid black, white, or gray undergarments if their team’s uniform color cannot match, with all team members (except the libero) required to wear the same color.

Changes to Rule 5-3-2b and 5-5-3b(9) now state that officials are no longer required to carry a lineup card as part of their uniform. Veteran officials can use coaches’ submitted lineup sheets to verify the starting lineup, while newer officials may still use the card as a training tool.

In Rule 10-4, the penalty for an illegal libero replacement will now be determined before or after the serve. If the violation is identified before the serve, an unnecessary delay is called. If it occurs after the serve, the result is a loss of rally or point.

For a complete list of rule changes, visit the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org, and select “Volleyball” under the “Activities & Sports” tab.

According to the latest NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, volleyball ranks as the second-most popular sport for girls, with 479,125 participants in 16,849 schools nationwide. In addition, 85,255 boys participate in the sport at 3,805 schools.

About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has been guiding the development of education-based interscholastic sports and performing arts programs that help students succeed. With over 19,800 high schools and more than 12 million participants nationwide, the NFHS sets standards, organizes events, and provides resources to enhance high school sports and activities. For more information, visit www.nfhs.org.