Once a player participates (including but not limited to practicing, training, attending workouts and/or competing) in a club or varsity program for any university, college, community college, or junior college, he/she is ineligible to take part in any regional and national programming, which includes but is not limited to national JNC qualifying and championship events.
18 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2002 OR Players who were born on or after July 1, 2001 and a high school student in the twelfth (12th) grade or below during some part of the current academic year
17 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2003
Girls 17 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2002 (18 years or younger) who shall neither have completed nor are in a grade higher than the eleventh grade (11th) during the current academic year will be allowed to participate at the USA
Junior National Championships on 17 and under teams. This age waiver is still subject to frozen roster rules. (This age waiver is based on recruiting concerns for girls in the 11th grade who would otherwise be required to participate in girls 18’s qualifiers and the Girls 18’s GJNC.)
16 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2004
15 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2005
14 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2006
Boys 14 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2005 (15 years or younger) who shall neither have completed nor are in a grade higher than the eighth grade (8th) during the current academic year will be allowed to participate at the USA Junior National Championships on 14 and under teams. This age waiver is still subject to frozen roster rules. (This exception is based on the net height difference of 7’4 1/8” to 7’ 11 5/8” between the 14 and Under Division to the 15 and Under Division.)
13 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2007
Boys 13 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2006 (14 years or younger) who shall neither have completed nor are in a grade higher than the seventh grade (7th) during the current academic year are eligible for a Region approved waiver to compete in the boys 13’s age group. This age waiver is still subject to frozen roster rules.
12 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2008
Boys 12 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2007 (13 years or younger) who shall neither have completed nor are in a grade higher than the sixth grade (6th) during the current academic year are eligible for a Region approved waiver to compete in the boys 12’s age group. This age waiver is still subject to frozen roster rules.
11 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2009
10 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2010
9 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2011
8 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2012
Note: These age definitions are used by domestic club programs and are NOT the same as the age definitions for the International and Domestic High Performance programs.
The Age Definition Policy was most recently revised by the USA Volleyball Board of Directors on June 30, 2020.
The classification cut-off date of July 1 was reviewed by the USAV Junior Assembly and the USA Regional Volleyball Association Assembly and research justified the new cut-off date of July 1.