Water Polo·Water Sports

NCAA

🏛️Official — NCAA

NCAA Men's and Women's Water Polo Rules of the Game· 2025-26 NCAA Water Polo Rules Book (M's fall + W's spring, 30-second shot clock, NCAA championship format)Open source

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At a glanceEverything you need to set up a game

7–12 players

Players

Indoor

Environment

ball, cap

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Section 1: Introduction

NCAA Water Polo is the collegiate variant of water polo. NCAA Men's Water Polo is contested in the fall semester (D1+D2+D3 + Eastern Athletic Association); NCAA Women's Water Polo is contested in the spring semester. The Men's NCAA Championship is the National Collegiate Men's Water Polo Championship; the Women's championship is the National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championship. NCAA Water Polo uses the World Aquatics technical baseline with NCAA-specific modifications. The current edition is the 2025-26 NCAA Water Polo Rules Book. For the international framework see the sibling World Aquatics Water Polo Rules entry.

Section 2: Equipment

Ball: yellow with grip pattern; men's circumference 68-71 cm / weight 400-450 g; women's circumference 65-67 cm / weight 400-450 g (NCAA spec)
Caps: numbered, white for one team / dark for the other; goalkeepers wear red caps with the same number
Cap ear protectors required (NCAA mandate)
Mouthguards recommended; gender-appropriate swimsuit per NCAA Equipment Standards
Goal frame: 3 m wide × 0.9 m high above water surface

Section 3: Playing Area

Field of play: 30 m long × 20 m wide for men / 25 m × 20 m for women (NCAA-spec; matches World Aquatics)
Water depth: minimum 1.8 m (NCAA championship: minimum 2.0 m for safety)
2-meter line: directly in front of the goal — offensive players may not be inside without the ball
5-meter line: penalty shot taken from this line
Halfway line, goal lines, and team bench markings
Re-entry area: each team's substitution zone

Section 4: Players & Officials

7 players per team in the water at any time (6 field players + 1 goalkeeper)
Roster: typically 13-15 players for NCAA D1; up to 13 may be designated for game day
Substitutions: unlimited at the dead-ball "swim re-entry" or after a goal scored, in the substitution zone
Officials: 2 referees (one on each side), 2 goal judges, secretary, timekeeper, shot-clock operator
Video review: NCAA championship uses video review for designated reviewable plays (goals, exclusion fouls, brutality)

Section 5: Rules of Play

Game structure: 4 quarters of 8 minutes each (NCAA spec; FIVB international is 4 × 8 also for adult competition)
2-minute breaks between Q1/Q2 and Q3/Q4; 5-minute halftime
Tied at end of regulation: NCAA tournament — 3-minute golden-goal overtime periods; if needed, penalty shootout
30-second shot clock — offensive team must attempt a shot before expiration (reduced from 35 in 2019 World Aquatics rule change; NCAA aligned)
Shot clock resets to 30 on possession change; resets to 20 on offensive rebound or specific violations
Goalkeeper may use both hands inside the 5-m area; field players may use only one hand at a time
Two-handed touch by field player = turnover
2-meter rule: offensive players may not stay inside the opponent's 2-meter line without the ball
Throwing the ball: any direction; bouncing the ball is permitted

Section 6: Scoring

Goal scored when the entire ball passes the goal line between the posts and below the crossbar
1 goal = 1 point
Most goals at end of regulation/overtime/shootout wins

Section 7: Violations & Penalties

Ordinary foul: free throw to the offended team; minor infraction (e.g., taking the ball under, two-handed touch, holding without ball)
Exclusion foul: 20-second exclusion to the penalty area; team plays short until the time expires, the opposing team scores, or possession changes hands per the rule book
Common exclusion fouls: holding/sinking opponent with the ball, brutality with intent, sustained interference
3 personal fouls (exclusion fouls) by a single player = exclusion from the rest of the match (player is replaced after the 3rd)
Penalty foul: foul inside the 5-meter area against an attacker who would otherwise score = penalty shot from the 5-m line
Brutality / misconduct: red card + 4-minute exclusion; replacement allowed after 4 minutes
Yellow card: warning to coach/bench; second yellow = ejection from bench
NCAA-specific: misconduct review framework + suspension for ejected players in subsequent matches per the rule book

Section 8: Safety Considerations

Water polo is a high-contact aquatic sport with significant injury risk from elbow/knee strikes, head impacts, and over-extension. Mandatory ear-protector caps reduce ear injury. Concussion protocol: removal + graduated return-to-play assessment for any actual or suspected concussion (head strikes from arms/elbows are common). Brutality penalty + 4-minute exclusion enforces head-protection standards. Pool depth minimum 1.8 m (2.0 m at championship) reduces shallow-pool collision risk. Lifeguards on duty during all NCAA-sanctioned games. Each game requires certified athletic trainer; championship-level meets add team physician + EMT/ambulance + AED on site. Emergency action plan with cervical-spine and head-injury protocols required at every venue.

NCAA

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Full Rulebook(7 sections)

Overview

How to win

The game

Section 1: Introduction

Section 2: Equipment

Section 3: Playing Area

Section 4: Players & Officials

Section 5: Rules of Play

Section 6: Scoring

Section 7: Violations & Penalties

Section 8: Safety Considerations

Playing the ball

Fouls & penalties

Equipment

Version History(1)

More from NCAA(6)

Variations of Water Polo(1)