William G. Morgan invented volleyball in 1895 as an indoor version of tennis that required less equipment. He raised the height of the net to 6 feet 6 inches, where it could stand "just above the head of an average man," according to the International Federation of Volleyball, or FIVB. Since the 19th century, the volleyball net has grown in height significantly. The FIVB provides standard specifications for volleyball nets used in international competition in the 21st century. USA Volleyball, the American governing body, follows all FIVB rules except where noted.
Height
The volleyball net must measure 7 feet 11 5/8 inches high at the center for men's competition and 7 feet 4 1/8 inches tall at the center for women's competition, according to FIVB rules. The net's height at the sidelines must not exceed the height at the center by more than three-quarters of an inch, according to FIVB rules. USA Volleyball provides suggested net heights for different age groups as well. For example, children 12 and under can play with a net that measures only 7 feet tall.
Antennae
Flexible rods, or antennae, extend above the net on either side. Each antenna must extend 32 inches above the net, according to FIVB rules. The antennae should have red and white stripes to make them stand out. The antennae serve as boundaries marking the edges of the crossing space over the net. Balls passing outside the antennae are out of bounds.
Posts
The net's posts must be placed 20 to 39 inches outside the sidelines. They must measure 8 feet 4 inches high and remain securely fixed to the ground without wires or other objects that might obstruct players, according to FIVB rules. USAV rules allow courts to use wires to secure posts, but the wires must be padded.
Net Components
The volleyball net consists of 31 to 33 feet of black mesh that measures 39 inches wide. White canvas bands run along the entire length of the top and bottom of the net. Cords pass through holes in these bands at each side of the net to secure the net to posts and keep the net taut.
Comparison
The volleyball net is higher than the nets used in tennis and badminton. The tennis net measures 3 feet high at the center, according to International Tennis Federation rules, and the badminton net measures 5 feet high at the center, according to the Badminton World Federation. In both badminton and tennis, men and women play with nets of the same height.
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