2. NCAA Women’s Basketball Secretary-Rules Editor
Rule Change
Debbie Williamson
NCAA Women’s Basketball Secretary-Rules Editor
September 2010

3. Rules Change
Contact with swinging elbows dangerous, particularly above the shoulders
New minimum penalty for illegal contact with a swinging elbow ABOVE the shoulders
The new rule requires a minimum penalty of an intentional personal foul to a player that swings an elbow and makes more than incidental contact with an opponent above the shoulders. A common foul is no longer a possible penalty when more than incidental contact occurs in this situation. The difference in the former rule and the new rule is that prior to the season when a player was called for a foul because she swung her elbow and contacted an opponent above the shoulders, the official was permitted to call a player or team control foul, an intentional personal foul or a flagrant foul. Under the new rule that same foul will be either an intentional or flagrant foul.
As you know, the rule book is clear that not all contact is a foul. Officials must determine whether contact is either incidental and legal or non-incidental and illegal. This judgment piece has not been altered. When an official determines that a foul has occurred and that foul involved an elbow, the next determination is what kind of foul it is so that the correct penalty is assessed. The possibilities for fouls that involve the elbow are as follows:
September, 2010
NCAA Elbow Rule Presentation

4. Stationary Elbow A foul involving a stationary elbow
ABOVE or BELOW the shoulders
common or intentional foul
The first foul is a foul involving a stationary elbow above or below the shoulders. This foul can be a common or intentional foul. An example of this foul would be a player who has extended her elbows horizontally to set an illegal screen and an opponent runs into her elbows. While this foul involves contact with an elbow, the elbow was not moving so the new rule does not apply here. This is an illegal screen on the offense which is a team control foul. Please see Rule for a definition of illegal contact with the elbow.
September, 2010
NCAA Elbow Rule Presentation

5. Moving Elbow (ABOVE)
A foul involving an elbow that is swung/moved (not excessively) –
ABOVE the shoulders (live ball)
must be a minimum of an intentional foul
Free throws & ball to offended team
The second foul involving an elbow is a foul that is swung or moved in such a manner that it creates illegal contact above the shoulders during a live ball. When this foul is not flagrant, it must be a minimum of an intentional personal foul. Remember that the penalty for an intentional foul is two free throws to the offended team and the ball at a spot nearest to where the foul occurred.
September, 2010
NCAA Elbow Rule Presentation

6. Moving Elbow (ABOVE)
A foul involving an elbow that is swung/moved (not excessively) –
ABOVE the shoulders (dead ball)
Player/substitute technical foul
Free throws & ball to the offended team at POI ( same penalty as Flagrant tech, Excessive TO)
The same foul as the one we spoke of on slide 5 which involved an elbow that is swung or moved in such a manner that it creates illegal contact above the shoulders, but was not flagrant, could also occur during a dead ball. Anytime there is contact with an opponent that cannot be ignored during a dead ball, it must be a player/substitute technical foul. When the illegal dead ball contact involved an elbow that contacted an opponent above the shoulders, the penalty for this player/substitute technical foul will be two free throws and the ball to the offended team at the point of interruption. This penalty is the same penalty, free throws and loss of possession, as the penalties for a flagrant technical foul and an administrative technical foul for an excessive timeout.
September, 2010
NCAA Elbow Rule Presentation

7. Moving Elbow (BELOW)
A foul involving an elbow that is swung/moved (not excessively) –
BELOW the shoulders (live ball)
Common, intentional Personal foul
There is no change in the penalty when there is a foul that involves an elbow that is swung or moved in such a manner that it creates illegal contact below the shoulders during a live ball.
September, 2010
NCAA Elbow Rule Presentation

8. Moving Elbow (BELOW)
A foul involving an elbow that is swung/moved (not excessively) –
BELOW the shoulders (dead ball)
Player/substitute technical foul
Free throws & resume play at POI
There is also no change in the penalty when there is a foul that involves an elbow that is swung or moved in such a manner that it creates illegal contact below the shoulders during a dead ball.
September, 2010
NCAA Elbow Rule Presentation

9. Excessively Swung Elbow
A foul involving an elbow that is swung excessively
ABOVE or BELOW the shoulders
must be a flagrant foul
Live ball: Flagrant Personal foul. Player is ejected, free throws and ball to offended team at the spot of the foul
Dead ball: Flagrant Technical Foul. Player is ejected, free throws and ball to offended team at the POI
A foul involving an elbow that is swung excessively has been and remains a flagrant foul. When there is no contact made by the excessive swinging of the elbow, it is simply a violation. When a contact flagrant foul occurs during a live ball, it is a flagrant personal foul. When a contact flagrant foul occurs during a dead ball, it is a flagrant technical foul.
September, 2010
NCAA Elbow Rule Presentation

10. Excessive Swinging Definition
When an arm and elbow are swung:
At a speed that exceeds that of the rest of the body.
When the speed and vigor with which the arm and elbow are swung is such that injury could result.
See Rule
September, 2010
NCAA Elbow Rule Presentation

11. Monitor Use
Officials are still permitted to review the monitor to determine IF a flagrant foul occurred ( d)
Officials are NOT permitted to go to the monitor to see if an intentional foul occurred
September, 2010
NCAA Elbow Rule Presentation

12. Monitor Use Flagrant foul
Once a flagrant foul is reported, it can no longer be reviewed
Officials are encouraged to review a possible flagrant foul before they report it
This was decided by both rules Committees at the 2010 Rules Committee meeting.
September, 2010
NCAA Elbow Rule Presentation