In 1897, the first official volleyball rules dictated that the net must measure 6 foot 6 inches, with no difference in height for men and women's games. It was later raised, then raised again, and today the official height differs for men and women. The USA Volleyball rulebook's net height specifications provide a standard for domestic women's competition. There is no difference in net height for indoor and beach games.
Official Competition
In official domestic or international women's volleyball competition, the net must measure 7 feet 4 1/8 inches tall. The net should have a white tape along the top to make it stand out to players and officials.
Other Age Groups
The USAV rulebook recommends using nets of slightly different heights for younger and older female players. It should be 6 feet 6 inches high for girls 10 and younger and 7 feet high for girls 11 and 12. The rulebook also recommends lowering the net to 7 feet 2 1/8 inches for non-sanctioned play among women 45 and older.
Comparison
Women's nets are universally shorter than men's nets. In official domestic and international men's competitions, the net is set at 7 feet 11 5/8 inches. It should be 7 feet for boys 12 and younger and 7 feet 4 1/8 inches for boys 13 and 14. Men from 55 to 70 should play with a 7-foot-9 5/8-inch net, and men above 70 should use a 7 1/2-foot net. Coed games use the same net height as men's games.
Measuring the Net
A volleyball net's official height is measured from the middle of the center line running across the court's surface. The net's height at the posts on either sideline must not be more than three-quarters of an inch higher than at the center.
Antennae
The net has flexible rods, called antennae, on each side. On nets of all heights, the antennae reach 32 inches above the top of the net. The antennae represent the outside edges of the crossing space above the net. The ball must cross the net between the antennae rather than outside them, and it may not touch them.
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