INDIANAPOLIS --- The NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Rules Committee created the first-ever rules manuscript specifically for the collegiate level at its June 19-23 meeting in Indianapolis. The committee’s proposals must still be considered by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel before final implementation.

The committee made three noteworthy changes from the rules written by US Lacrosse, which was used as the template for the NCAA rules book.

First, the committee decided to strengthen its carding rules. In the new rule, after a team receives its third card (yellow or red), each subsequent card (yellow or red) will be a three-minute penalty and no substitution is allowed for the penalized player.

"This rule change has been proposed in the past and is designed to discourage rough play and unsporting behavior,” said Karen Borbee, chair of the committee and head coach/senior woman administrator at Swarthmore College. “We are making this adjustment to manage our game and properly penalize teams who consistently violate the rules.”

The committee also added a rule that allows attacking players to follow through in the goal crease in shooting situations. In this provision, which has been used successfully in international play, the shot must be initiated outside of the goal crease. While defending the shooter, the defensive player(s) is also allowed to reach in the crease to check or block a shot. Consistent with previous rules, neither player is allowed to step into the crease at any time.

To address the problem of time loss in the game, the committee also voted to stop the clock on all major defensive fouls in the eight-meter arc that result in a free position.

"We reviewed numerous proposals in this area, including adding time to the game,” Borbee said. “This change addresses the issue at the point of the game where we lose the most time.”

The current members of the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Rules Committee are: Danie Caro, Quinnipiac University; Kelly Amonte Hiller, Northwestern University, vice chair; Jenny Levy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Barbara Questa, St. Bonaventure University; Cecil Pilson, Mercyhurst College; Karen Borbee, Swarthmore College, chair; Christine Paradis, Amherst College; Kathy Railey, Villa Julie College; and Pat Dillon, secretary-rules editor.