NCAA Adopts International Rules on Lighting Signals and Diving Scoring

Photo Courtesy: Cathleen Pruden

NCAA swimming and diving will adopt a pair of international technical rules involving lighting systems available for use at the start of races and scoring for diving.

“As the opportunities for swimmers to compete under USA Swimming and International Swimming Federation rules in the offseason continue to grow, it is believed that creating continuity between rules will benefit student-athletes,” the NCAA writes in a release.

Nothing related to stroke or technical rules was affected by this change. The full details are posted below.

Lighting systems

The panel also approved the use of lights or a lighting system in addition to hand signals used for the start of races involving deaf and hard of hearing swimmers. The lights or lighting system can be used to mimic the audio commands of the referee. The lights or lighting system must be fully integrated with the existing automatic timing system.

Diving

The panel approved establishing a diving-only dual meet format and a scoring format for those events.

In dual diving meets, when either team has three or fewer total participants per gender, the scoring of individual-event place values will be 7-5-4-3-2-1.

In dual diving meets, when either team has four or five total participants per gender, the scoring of individual-event place values will be 9-7-6-5-3-2-1, with only the best four contestants from each team scoring.

In dual diving meets, when both teams have six or more total participants per gender, the scoring of individual-event place values will be 16-13-12-11-10-9-7-5-4-3-2-1, with only the best six contestants from each team scoring.

Read more from NCAA.com by clicking here.

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