Changes from last year are highlighted. 1

2016-17

OUA Volleyball Rules & Regulations

(Updated September 2016)

Changes from last year are highlighted. 2

1. NAME

1.1. The league shall be called the OUA Volleyball Conference. 2. PURPOSE

2.1. The purpose of the Conference shall be to encourage high-level performance in interuniversity volleyball, to supervise and control interuniversity volleyball participation within the Conference and to stimulate and promote a positive attitude towards sport and sportsmanship.

3. MEMBERSHIP

3.1. The Members of this conference are: Institutions with womens teams include; Institutions with mens teams include;

1. Brock 1. Brock 2. Guelph 2. Guelph 3. Lakehead 3. McMaster 4. McMaster 4. Nipissing 5. Nipissing 5. Queens 6.Queens 6. . Royal Military College 7. Royal Military College 7. Ryerson 8. Ryerson 8. Toronto 9. Toronto 9. Trent 10. Trent 10. Waterloo 11. Waterloo 11. Western 12. Western 12. Windsor 13. Windsor 13. York 14. York

4. AWARDS 4.1. The annual OUA Womens Champion shall receive the OUA Womens Championship Trophy. 4.2. The annual OUA Mens Champion shall receive The Forsyth Memorial Trophy (Founded in 1968 in memory of Jim Forsyth, by

members of the University of Toronto 1967-68 team). 4.3. The annual OUA Mens and Womens final Champions shall each receive the OUA banner. 4.4. The championship team is responsible for the engraving costs of the trophy.

5. MEDALS

5.1. OUA gold medals shall be awarded to each member and coach of the championship teams (men and women). OUA silver medals shall be awarded to each member and coach of the second place teams (men and women). OUA bronze medals shall be awarded to each member and coach of the third place teams (men and women).

6. ALL-STARS

6.1. For details on All-Stars and individual awards selection procedure, please refer to Appendix I (Men) and Appendix II (women). The criteria for these selections will be circulated by the OUA Sport Operations Coordinator.

7. OUA LEAGUE DESIGN & STRUCTURE 7.1. Womens Design for Competition

The OUA Womens Volleyball league comprised of 14 teams (as per 3.1) will be divided into 2 Divisions (East and West) East (7 teams): Nipissing, Queens, RMC, Ryerson, Toronto, Trent, York West: (7 teams): Brock, Guelph, McMaster, Waterloo, Western, Lakehead, Windsor

Date Details Thursday February 16, 2017 Online Presto Directions Circulated by OUA Office Tuesday February 21, 2017 2:00pm Round One: Nominations Open Tuesday February 21, 2017 10:00am Nominations Close Thursday February 23, 2017 2:00pm Round Two: Voting 1 Opens Thursday February 23, 2017 10:00am Voting 1 Closes Tuesday February 28, 2017 2:00pm Round Three: Voting 2 Opens Thursday March 2, 2017 10:00am Voting 2 Closes March 6-9, 2017 Results Released by OUA Office March 10-11, 2017 OUA Volleyball Final Four

Changes from last year are highlighted. 3

Each team will play a home and home within their division for a total of 12 games and a single game with each team in the opposite division (home and away matches will alternate each year) for a total of 7 games. Total number of league matches per team per year is 19 games.

Exception: Lakehead All west division games involving Lakehead will be doubleheaders played over a weekend with the sites alternating each year.

7.2. Mens Design for Competition The OUA Mens Volleyball league comprised of 13 teams (as per 3.1) will be divided into 2 Divisions (East and West) East (7 teams): Nipissing, Queens, RMC, Ryerson, Toronto, Trent, York West: (6 teams): Brock, Guelph, McMaster, Waterloo, Western, Windsor

Each team will play a home and home within their division (West will play a total of 10 games, and the East will play a total of 12 games) and a single game with each team in the opposite division (home and away matches will alternate each year) for a total of 7 games in the West and 6 games in the East. Total number of league matches per team per year is 17 games for the West and 18 games for the East.

8. COMPETITION STRUCTURE

8.1. Two (2) points shall be awarded for each match won and zero (0) points for a loss. 8.2. All matches to be the best three out of five. 8.3. The design of the schedule to be completed by the OUA office. All league matches must finish 12 days before the

commencement of the Final Four Championship tournament allowing for quarter final matches to be played Thursday-Sunday prior to the Final Four tournament

8.4. Final standings shall be determined at the completion of league play for all teams 8.5. Final standings will be circulated by the OUA Office no later than 24hrs after the completion of the last match and

will be posted on the OUA website.

9. TIE BREAKING PROCEDURES 9.1.1. The OUA general tie breaking procedure will be followed with the following addition: 9.1.2. If a tie still exists after 1)examination of head to head record in competition, then 2)examination of all sets

in head to head competition, followed by 3)point difference of all sets in head to head competition (if all teams involved have played each other at least once)

10. PLAYOFF STRUCTURE

10.1. Quarter Finals 10.1.1. OUA Volleyball playoff format will consist of four (4) quarter-final single elimination matches to be played

at the higher ranked school. Winners of the quarter-final matches will advance to the Final Four Championship Tournament

10.1.1.1. Game 1 - # 1 East vs # 4 West 10.1.1.2. Game 2 - # 2 West vs # 3 East 10.1.1.3. Game 3 - #2 East vs #3 West 10.1.1.4. Game 4 - #1 West vs # 4 East

10.1.2. OUA Volleyball quarter final playoff games are to occur on the Saturday prior to the Final Four Championship Tournament.

10.1.3. All matches shall be best three of five sets. 10.2. Championship Tournament (FINAL FOUR)

10.2.1. The Final Four Tournament will be hosted by the highest remaining seed following the quarter-final round, as determined by the overall conference standings (points) at the end of the regular season. If two teams in different divisions are tied based on overall conference standings, the tie will be broken in accordance to OUA Volleyball Rules and Regulations Section 9.

10.2.2. Tournament Format: SEMI-FINALS involving quarter final winners (updated June 2016) Semi-Final 1: Winner Game # 1 vs Winner Game # 2 Semi-Final 2: Winner Game # 3 vs Winner Game # 4 GOLD MEDAL

Winner Semi-Final 1 vs Winner Semi-Final 2 BRONZE MEDAL

Loser Semi-Final 1 vs Loser Semi-Final 2

Changes from last year are highlighted. 4

Championship Tournament Requirements (Men and Women)

10.2.3. The Final Four championship shall be conducted as the profile event by the host institution. The event can be conducted over a two-day period commencing no earlier than the Thursday and finishing no later than the Sunday of the scheduled Final Four weekend. Selected days and times of matches will depend on facility availability and the wishes of the host institution. As much as possible no other event shall disrupt the championship schedule as outlined in the OUA regulations. The preferred playing dates for the Volleyball OUA Final Four Championship are Friday and Saturday

10.2.4. The host institution may select the time of their semifinal match. The host institution must inform all competing teams of match days and times no later than the first working day following the conclusion of the quarter-final league matches.

10.2.5. At the Final Four Championship the higher seed within each match has the choice of uniform colour. 10.2.6. All OUA all-stars and major award winners will be recognized at the Final Four. 10.2.7. The host institution must provide one practice time for each competing team. If available by the host institution,

competing teams may have the choice (according to the allocation of time slots) of practicing the evening prior to or morning of the Final Four tournament. Practice times consist of a minimum of forty-five (45) minutes on the competition court. The allocation of time slots will be based on the draw with the higher positioned team in the host division having their choice.

10.2.8. For championship practice times, a court monitor and an official/timer clock, keeping track of each practice will be in operation.

10.2.9. The host institution shall provide 12 official OUA regulation balls to the teams for practice and warm-ups. 10.2.10. The host institution will assist in retrieving balls during the 5-5 warm-up i.e. by assigning trained three ball people to

assist. 10.2.11. The host institution is responsible for uploading all video of the games in the Final Four tournaments, regardless of

participation. 10.2.12. Lines shall be a minimum of four (4) inches inside the boundaries and clearly visible at all championship matches.

10.2.13. All equipment supplied and used at the championships including the practice sites fit current CIS specifications. 10.2.14. The Championship match shall be completed no later than 6:00 p.m. on the Sunday prior to the start of the CIS

Championships 10.2.15. Officiating Requirements (see section 11)

11. OFFICIALS

11.1. The OUA Sport Programming Coordinator shall send both the East and West Volleyball Schedule, comprised of

both divisional and interlock play, to the OVA Officials' Chairperson for assignment. 11.2. The deadline for submitting exhibition game officials (game days & game times) to the OUA office for Volleyball is

August 1st

. After August 1st

institutions are responsible for contacting the ass