The Division II and Division III Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved a rule change in bowling to allow student-athletes to use the designated warmup lanes after being removed from a match.
Student-athletes who have been removed from a match may use the designated warmup lanes while the match is in progress. However, any student-athlete who uses the warmup lanes is no longer eligible to return to the lineup for the remainder of that match.
If a team violates this rule by reinserting the student-athlete into the lineup, that lineup position will be scored as zero for the rest of the match.
The NCAA Women's Bowling Committee's rationale for proposing the rules change was to reduce excessively harsh penalties for honest mistakes while clearly defining consequences for illegal reentry into active competition.
This rule change also has been approved through the National Collegiate process.
Video review
Panel members approved clarifying the use of lane-side video review during competition.
Video review is permitted for the following situations: scoring, fouls, legal pinfall and unsportsmanlike conduct.
If video review is used, it must be available for all competition lanes. The original ruling will be changed only if there is indisputable video evidence to reverse the call. Otherwise, the original ruling will stand.
Other rule changes
- The altering of a bowling ball surface by water, cleaner, polish or abrasives may be done only before the conclusion of the first daily warmup session of the day. If surface alterations are made, they must be done to the entire ball. If a team receives a bye before its first match of the session, it will be permitted to alter the surface of the ball during its bye practice.
- The mega-match format is permitted to be used only during conference championships, the National Collegiate Championship and exhibition contests. Winners will be determined by using a best-of-three match format in the following order: Baker total pinfall, five-person team match and best-of-seven Baker match play.
- For the first roll of each game, either lane (left or right) can be used.
- All downed pins (deadwood) must be removed before the next delivery. Any delivery made with downed pins on the lane or in the gutter will be scored as a zero.
