🏛️Official — NCAA
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Team Sports
1–7 players
outdoor
field hockey ball, stick, goal
7 essential rules
NCAA Field Hockey is the collegiate variant of women's field hockey contested in the fall semester at NCAA Division I, II, and III. Play is governed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Rules of Hockey (Rule 1, Nature and Venue of the Game) as adapted for NCAA competition through the annu...
Stick (Rule 4, The Stick): J-shaped, max length 105 cm, max weight 737 g, made of wood/composite; only the flat side may be used to play the ball; Ball (Rule 5, The Ball): hard, spherical, 22.4 cm circumference, 156-163 g, white with raised seams; Goalkeeper equipment (Rule 3, Players' Clothing a...
Field (Rule 6, The Field of Play): 91.40 m long × 55 m wide (FIH spec); NCAA may use slightly smaller fields; Surface: water-based artificial turf preferred (FIH spec); some NCAA venues use sand-based turf or natural grass; Two 22.90-m lines (originally "25-yard line"); one halfway line (Rule 6)
11 players per team on field including 1 goalkeeper (Rule 2, Composition of Teams); Roster: typically 16-22 players for NCAA D1; up to 18 may be in match-day squad; Substitutions: unlimited and rolling (Rule 2 framework as modified by NCAA — distinct from FIFA limited subs); player exits, substit...
Match (Rule 8, Start and Restart of Play): 4 quarters of 15 minutes each (FIH format adopted from 2014 onward; NCAA aligns); 2-minute breaks between Q1/Q2 and Q3/Q4; 5-10 minute halftime; Overtime — updated for 2026: under the 2026 Division I Field Hockey Rules Modifications, an NCAA Tournament m...
Goal (Rule 9, Conduct of Play): the ball must wholly cross the goal line between the posts, propelled from inside the shooting circle by an attacking player's stick; A shot originating from outside the circle does not count as a goal; The team with the most goals at the end of regulation — or, in...
Common fouls (Rule 9, Conduct of Play): obstruction, dangerous play, third-party block, playing the ball with the rounded side of the stick, foot kick, raised hit outside the circle; Card framework: green card (warning, possible 2-minute temporary suspension), yellow card (5-10 minute suspension ...
Mandatory mouthguard use is required at the NCAA level. Goggles are strongly recommended given the incidence of stick-strike eye injuries.
Return Possession After Injury Stoppage
If a team intentionally plays the ball dead or out of bounds to allow an injured opponent to receive treatment, the opposing team is expected to return possession when play resumes. Scoring or retaining aggressive possession after such a gesture is considered a serious breach of honor.
Field hockey lacks automatic stoppages for all injuries, making this custom load-bearing for fair play. Observed at all levels from youth to NCAA.
Honor the Post-Game Handshake Line
After the final whistle, both teams line up and shake hands or tap sticks down the line. Players are expected to participate with genuine respect regardless of the result. Halfhearted participation or avoiding the line is considered disrespectful.
A cornerstone tradition in field hockey at the collegiate and high school levels; more formalized than in some other sports.
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