Intramural Water Volleyball

The Intramural Program staff will work hard to ensure that all participants have the safest experience, but guaranteeing absolute safety is not possible. Be aware that participation in intramural sports activities, including use of intramural facilities and equipment, is completely voluntary. There are risks and hazards, minor and serious, associated with participation in intramural sports activities. Participants voluntarily assume all responsibility and risk of loss, damage, illness, and/or injury to person or property associated with participation in intramural sport activities.

University at Albany, the State University of New York and the State of New York are not liable for any injuries, damages or other losses which individuals may incur while using recreational sports facilities or participating in the Intramural Program provided by the Office of Campus Recreation. The University at Albany does not provide medical, health, or other insurance for participants. Medical expenses incurred such as ambulance, doctor bills and x-rays will be the responsibility of the participant. Purchasing adequate health/medical insurance prior to participation is strongly recommended.

The University at Albany Intramural basketball program follows the current National Federation of State High School Associations Rule Book. The rules listed below do not represent the entire rulebook; rather they have been compiled as a guide. Some rules have been modified for the Intramural program.

  1. Player Eligibility
  1. All undergraduate & graduate students who have paid the recreation fee and are currently enrolled in any department or college of the University and current faculty and staff members shall be eligible to enjoy all intramural privileges and shall retain that status until they withdraw, graduate, take a leave of absence, or fail to comply with the eligibility rules or other guidelines.
  2. Only players who are able to present their current UAlbany photo ID card to the Intramural Site Supervisor will be eligible to participate in intramural activities. There will be no exceptions to this rule.
  3. For a full list of all eligibility requirements please refer to the Intramural Sports Handbook.
  1. Team Composition
  1. Six (6) players constitute a team. A team must have 5 players by the time the game is scheduled to begin.
  2. All players on a team must be registered to the team’s roster through IMLeagues.com prior to the first regular season game. Team members may not be added after the first game.
  3. All team members are required to present their UAlbany photo ID card and sign in with the Intramural Site Supervisor at the beginning of each game. If a team member does not have his/her ID card or does not sign in with the Intramural Site Supervisor they will not be eligible to play.
  1. Scoring
  1. A match consists of three games to fifteen (15) points. The match will end when a team has won two out of three games.
  2. Matches will have a time-limit of 30 minutes.
  3. In all games, a team must win by at least a 2-point margin.
  4. Games will be played using the rally scoring method.
  1. Play
  2. A volley will determine which team has possession to volley for the first game. The team that does not start with the ball will have the chance to service the ball to start the second set. If there is a third game, service will begin with a volley.
  3. Teams will switch sides of the net after each game.
  4. The serving player will serve when signaled by the referee. Service may be either underhand or overhand with either a closed or open hand. If a player serves before the whistle is blown, the serve shall be replayed. Only one re-serve will be allowed per game.
  5. Body must be completely behind the end line (marked by cones) when the ball is served. A foot fault results in the loss of the serve.
  6. Each team may call one 1 minute time out per game. Time outs will not be ‘carried over’
  7. When a team is awarded the serve, they must rotate once in a clock-wise direction. If a player serves out of turn, side-out will be called and any points made on his or her serve previous to this discovery will be discounted.
  8. A player may not block a serve at the net. They can block volleys thereafter.
  9. A team is allowed 3 contacts of the ball (not counting a hit on a block at the net).
  10. A player may not hit the ball twice consecutively unless the first contact was a block.
  11. The ball must be hit cleanly. When, in the opinion of the referee, the ball visibly comes to a rest at contact, a carry will be called.
  12. The ball may be hit by any part of the body above, and including, the waist (also may be played off the foot.).
  13. The ball is out of bound when it touches any surface or object outside of the court. A ball touching the boundary line is good.
  14. No player may go over the net, except to follow through on a spike or block. In these instances, contact with the net is illegal.
  15. If a foreign object enters the court during play, the referee may stop the play and call for a play-over.
  16. Only the captains of a team may talk to the referee or request substitutions and time-outs.
  17. The serving team may not screen the opposing team from seeing the trajectory of the serve. This includes having two or more people at the net with hands up.
  18. If two team mates hit the ball at the same time it will be counted as one contact and either person may hit the ball.
  19. The ball must break the plane before it is touched by an opponent. The only exception is if the team with the ball cannot make any play on it. You may also block the ball if the trajectory of the ball shows it was going to break the plane of the net, this call is at the discretion of the ref.
  20. An “in-bounds” ball is one that hits the water within or on the lane lines/ropes that
  21. make the boundaries of the court. The ball is “out of bounds” if it hits the water outside the lane lines/ropes that makes the boundaries of the court, the pool deck or any object on the pool deck.
  22. Open hand digs are allowed as long as they are not ruled as lifts (palm down).
  23. Under the net will be governed by the Advantage Rule. If the attacking team is hindered or disadvantaged by a defensive player under the net in any capacity, the attacking team will receive the point and the ensuing serve.
  24. If a serve hits the net and goes over it will be live

Updated: 1/23/14