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NCAA News Archive - 2001
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The NCAA Men's Water Polo Committee will recommend to the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet that Stanford University and Loyola Marymount University host the 2001 and 2002 National Collegiate Men's Water Polo Championships, respectively.
The committee, meeting February 21-23 in Newport Beach, California, was encouraged to receive two bids for publicity and planning purposes.
"We see some benefits in terms of advanced publicity as well as to allow a significantly greater planning period for the host," said Tom Elson, head coach at the University of California, Davis, and the chair of the committee. "We think it is a benefit for the sport to have the championship scheduled well in advance, and something the fans can look forward to at the conclusion of next year's competition."
Stanford hosted the 1995 championship, while Loyola Marymount will be a first-time host. The event has been staged in California 26 times in the championship's 31-year history.
In addition to site selection, the committee also reviewed several significant playing rules changes implemented last year, including the elimination of the two-point shot, the elimination of the distinction of dead-time fouling, and modifying the location at which free throws are taken in certain situations. The committee reaffirmed those as positive changes in terms of simplifying the game and maintaining consistency with the international rules.
Although the committee is interested in consistency with the international rules when possible, a rule that varies from international practice was maintained. In NCAA play, free throws will continue to be shot at the location of the foul rather than the location of the ball.
"We opted to stay with a good change in that situation with the belief that the international community eventually will follow," Elson said.
The committee also approved a new rules production schedule that will include the input of the newly established NCAA Women's Water Polo Committee. The men's committee will forward rules changes to the women's committee for approval during the women's championship in May. Suggestions or changes coming from the women's committee will be reviewed by the men's committee via conference calls. The rules book will continue to be printed in July.
Additional rules changes
In other rules discussions, the committee clarified the penalty for disrespect or misconduct between periods, adding the following text: "If the act of disrespect or misconduct occurred in the interval between periods, the quarter starts with a sprint with a player in the exclusion area. If the act of disrespect or misconduct occurs by the team scored upon after the opposing team has scored a goal, the ball is awarded to the opposing team and play is started with a player in the exclusion area."
Also, in an effort to make cap numbers as visible as possible for officials, spectators and scorekeepers, the committee will further emphasize that contrasting colors be used. The committee also will ask manufacturers to increase the size of the cap numbers in future years to 10 centimeters. The committee also stipulated that any bathing caps worn be the same color as the team cap, including a red bathing cap for the goalkeeper.
Additional rules changes are provided in the accompanying box.
Other highlights
Men's Water Polo Committee
February 21-23/Newport Beach, California
The committee made the following rules changes for the 2001 season:
Eliminated the requirement to remove any artificial standing or resting place for the goalkeeper since pools no longer have this feature.
Reaffirmed the intent of the rule specifying that both coaches and players can receive red cards.
The 35-second clock will be reset when the ball goes completely over the goal line after having been last touched by the defensive player. Last year, the clock was not reset if the ball went over the goal line unless a shot was taken.
The 35-second shot clock will be reset when a corner throw is awarded.
The timekeeper will no longer be responsible to signal by whistle the end of the timeout. Current practice is for the official to signal the end of the timeout.
A coach will now be warned and then given a yellow card as a consequence for delay of game after a timeout. A yellow card can be followed with a red card if necessary for any subsequent delay in restarting after a timeout.
A goal is awarded to the player on the opposing team closest to the goal for situations for Rules 14.5a-c. If the goal is scored by the offended team when there is an illegal player in the pool, the goal is awarded to the player scoring the goal.
The committee clarified the stalling rule, stating that it is the responsibility of the offensive team to advance the ball toward the offensive end. It is not necessary for the team to shoot the ball. Also, in the last minute, the referees must be certain that the stalling is intentional before applying this rule.
In previous years, a bleeding player would not be able to return to the game until cleared by medical personnel. Since medical personnel are not always present at games, the committee clarified that once the bleeding has been stopped, the player may return to the game as a substitute.
Agreed that a 20-second exclusion period will be awarded for minor acts of disrespect that are not sufficient to warrant exclusion for the remainder of the game. The player will be removed for the remainder of the game if that player commits a second minor act of disrespect during the game.
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