The 2002 NCAA Men's and Women's Soccer rules are now available as a pdf file. As we know, the NCAA did NOT adopt the proposal to use PK to decide games during the regular season. Soccer rules group rescinds penalty-kick tiebreaker change During all regular-season games, two 45-minute halves will be followed by two 10-minute sudden victory overtimes if the game is tied. In postseason, results determined by PKs will be recorded as a win or a loss in team records, not as a tie. THAT is just stupid, but I can live with it. If the NCAA wants to record the results of games incorrectly, let them. At least they won't be subjecting teams to the abomination of PKs during the regular season.
what's new for '02 NCAA Rules Updates Reviewed NISOA National Rules Interpreter Ken Andres provides an overview of what's new for '02. Not too much eathshaking is new. There are shorter OTs, and the substitution rule has been changed to all reentry in the first half. And subs are allowed on corner kicks.
I think the first half of games will look different, now that re-entry is allowed. A little more coaching strategy will be required as we should see earlier subs. I think deeper teams will see non-starters have less playing time with shorter sub rotations in the first half, but the team will get "better" because the starters can re-enter first half after a rest. I think teams with less depth will see non-starters get more playing time as the starters will get a short rest earlier in the 1st half. Overall, this benefits the "team" with more depth, and the non-starters on the "shallower" teams who may see more action.
wow . . . a "good" committee decision it's nice to see the PK thing got nixed before making everyone live through it for a year. but it's hard to be grateful to a committee for just barely managing to clean up a mess it created on it's own. I actually think the re-entry rule will help "shallower" teams because coaches can substitute the same amount with fewer players rotating in. Deeper teams will give a coach more choices, but you can still only play 11 and now you can put the starter back in if a substitute falters (rather than going further down the bench). On the other hand, it makes it easier to play a kid, knowing you can sub the starter back in for them and won't have to live with a problem 'til halftime.