The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved a women’s lacrosse proposal that allows substitutions when the game clock is stopped.
While this was not a rules change year for women’s lacrosse, this change is an alteration to a rule that was implemented during the 2018 season that caused unintended consequences to the substitution procedure. This rules change allows for the continuation of the free movement rules the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Rules Committee recommended last year.
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The new rules removed the provision that prohibits players from entering the field as a substitute while the clock is stopped.
The 2018 season was the first time players in the sport could keep moving after a foul or violation while the player possessing the ball restarts play. A 2-meter nonengagement area was established around the player awarded possession of the ball. All other players on the field were free to move outside the nonengagement area, too.
