NCAA Adds Libero Position for 2002 Season

Lincoln, Neb. -- The NCAA Women?s Volleyball Rules Committee approved several rule changes for the 2002 women?s volleyball season, including the use of the libero player with 12 substitutions, at its Feb. 18-21 meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz. After gathering information from a variety of junior, collegiate and international volleyball coaches and experts, the committee adopted the libero as a designated back row player who cannot serve, attack or set inside the attack line.

?We believe the adoption of the libero will add a new element of excitement to the game and raise the level of play,? said Terry Pettit, former NU volleyball coach and chair of the committee. ?It has the potential to create opportunities for the smaller athlete.?

The libero (pronounced LEE-bah-ro) rule, which is currently used in international competition, allows coaches to better utilize a defensive specialist. For example, when the libero leaves the match, she only has to sit out for one rally before re-entering. She can replace any player in the back row, allowing her to play nearly the entire match. When the libero enters or leaves the match, it is not counted against a team?s 12 substitutions.

?The libero position will impact the match as much as the setter because she will touch the ball nearly as many times as the setter,? NU Coach John Cook said. ?It will have a huge impact on the level of play for a team. Does this favor Nebraska? Absolutely. It gives teams that are powerful at the net the ability to have a great passer all six rotations. Serving becomes even more critical for a team to be able to score points.

Cook added that NU defensive specialist Lindsay Wischmeier, a senior in 2002, is the leading candidate to fill the libero position for the Huskers.

?I think people are really going to like the addition, because it will give a player like Lindsay the opportunity to play the almost entire match instead of just three rotations,? Cook said. ?It gives her a chance to have more of an impact on outcome of the match. Having a player like Lindsay constantly on the court, who the players can turn to for leadership, will greatly benefit us.?