NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel Expands Video Review in Men's Lacrosse

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Wednesday approved expanding video review in men's lacrosse. The video review process would include coaches' challenges for the 2023-24 academic year for all NCAA competitions, not just during NCAA championships.

Under the new rule, a coach can use a challenge until the last four minutes of regulation. Referee discretion can be used at any time during the game. The following plays are added to the list of reviewable plays: 

• To determine if a loose ball crosses the goal line. 

• To determine if the ball was in the goal before the dislodgment of the goal cage. 

• To determine if an offensive player was in or landed in the crease before the ball entered the goal. 

• To determine if an offensive player landed in the goal mouth as a result of illegal contact by the defense before the ball entered the goal.  

• To determine if a goal was scored as a result of the head of the shooter's crosse coming off during the shot or follow-through.

These plays join the current list of reviewable scenarios at NCAA championships: 

• To correct the game and/or shot clock when there is a malfunction or timing error.

• To determine if the release of a shot at the end of a period came before the expiration of time for the game clock or the shot clock.

• To determine if a shot at the end of a period was deflected off a defensive or offensive player before it entered the goal.

• To determine if a shot hit the camera mounted inside the goal cage.

Also under the new rule, a team will be permitted two team timeouts and one coach's challenge each half, while maintaining one timeout during any overtime period.

If a coach's challenge is unsuccessful, that team will be charged a timeout and lose its challenge for that half. If the challenge is successful, the team will retain that timeout and coach's challenge.

If a team has no timeouts remaining in a half, a coach cannot challenge a call.

A coach's challenge can be requested only for reviewable items. Challenges will not carry over.

All reviews in the last four minutes of regulation or any overtime period will be initiated at the referee's discretion.

A coach will have 30 seconds to challenge a non-goal play. If there is not an imminent scoring opportunity, the officials will stop play as soon as possible to conduct a review.

If the challenging team or the opposing team scores a goal during that time, the goal will not be counted if it is determined that the reviewable nongoal play was a goal.

Additionally, contact to the head and/or neck area may be reviewed only if the on-field official makes an original call that potential contact to the head and/or neck area has occurred. 

Officials will notify coaches before starting the review, and they would have three penalty options to consider under this review:

• Indirect contact to the head and/or neck area. 

• Direct contact to the head and/or neck area. 

• Excessive or flagrant contact to the head and/or neck area with possible expulsion.  

Officials will be permitted to review a possible infraction that was not observed during play; however, only contact to the head and/or neck area may be considered.

Should the officials determine that another infraction occurred, they may not assess that penalty by video review. However, if the officials determine that contact to the head and/or neck area did occur, they could enforce those penalties under this rule. 

HELMETS

The panel approved that any time a player's helmet comes off during a live ball scenario, the officials will stop play immediately.

The player will be required to leave the field of play. Play will restart once the player reaches the sidelines. The player will not be allowed back on the field until the next dead ball after the restart of play.