The NFHS announced the change on 5 February 2026, as a way to give more players a role without using a substitution. It takes effect with the 2026-27 season, and the NFHS interpretations published on 6 August 2026 answer the questions scorers and libero trackers ask first. Many older tutorials and printed sheets were made for a single libero, which is why so many state associations redrew their trackers for this season.
What changes, box by box
- Designation. Before each set, the lineup sheet shows zero, one or two liberos. Copy both numbers into the libero boxes at the top of the scoresheet and on the tracker.
- First entry. The scorer circles each libero's number the first time that libero enters the set (interpretation situation 3). Later entries need no mark.
- Exchanges. When one libero replaces the other on the court, the tracker writes nothing (situation 4). A column reading 2, L, 2 is correct even if both liberos took turns in between.
- Serving. The two liberos and the player they serve for are tied to one serving position. Either libero, or that player, may serve there. A libero replacing a different player who is about to serve is an illegal libero replacement (situation 2).
- Injury and disqualification. An injured libero may be replaced by the player the libero replaced, by the second libero, or by re-designating a new libero (10-4-3a). A disqualified libero is replaced by the player or the second libero, and the team goes on with one libero (10-4-3d).
Worked example
Computed by Scorerdesk's rule engine under the NFHS 2026-27 profile. Home designates liberos 1 and 2; its middles are 12 (position III) and 10 (position VI).
| The feed says | What the scorer does |
|---|---|
| Libero replacement home: 10 out, 1 in. | L in the home libero tracker under VI, entry 1; circle home libero 1 |
| Point home. | mark home running score at 1 |
| Point away. | mark away running score at 1; 1 in the home service box under I, term 1 |
| Libero exchange home: 2 in for 1. | circle home libero 2 |
| Point away. | mark away running score at 2 |
| Point home. | mark home running score at 2; 2 in the away service box under I, term 1 |
| Point home. | mark home running score at 3 |
| Point away. | mark away running score at 3; 3 in the home service box under II, term 1 |
| Point home. | mark home running score at 4; 3 in the away service box under II, term 1 |
| Libero replacement home: 2 out, 10 in. The libero cannot rotate to the front row. | 10 in the home libero tracker under VI, entry 2 |
| Libero replacement home: 12 out, 1 in. | L in the home libero tracker under III, entry 1 |
| Serve, home, number 1. | III in the home libero serving position |
| Point home. | mark home running score at 5 |
| Point away. | mark away running score at 4; 5 in the home service box under III, term 1 |
| Point home. | mark home running score at 6; 4 in the away service box under III, term 1 |
| Point away. | mark away running score at 5; 6 in the home service box under IV, term 1 |
| Point home. | mark home running score at 7; 5 in the away service box under IV, term 1 |
| Point away. | mark away running score at 6; 7 in the home service box under V, term 1 |
| Point home. | mark home running score at 8; 6 in the away service box under V, term 1 |
| Libero replacement home: 1 out, 12 in. The libero cannot rotate to the front row. | 12 in the home libero tracker under III, entry 2 |
| Libero replacement home: 10 out, 2 in. | Flag it (illegal libero replacement). Write nothing for the request. |
| Request denied. Unnecessary delay, administrative yellow card, home. | sanctions row: H, DW, T, 8-6 |
| Point home. | mark home running score at 9 |
Libero 1 is circled on entry, and libero 2 is circled when it exchanges in, but the tracker has nothing for the exchange itself. Libero 1 then serves for 12, which makes position III the liberos' serving position. When 10 comes round to serve, libero 2 tries to replace 10: that would be a second serving position, so the scorer flags it and, under NFHS, the team is charged unnecessary delay.
Common mistakes
- Treating each libero as having a serving position of its own. There is one between them.
- Writing L or the libero's number on the tracker for an exchange between the two liberos.
- Circling only the first libero, or circling a libero again on later entries.
- Letting both liberos stand on the court together, for example the second libero replacing another back row player while the first is still in.
- Using a one libero tracker from an older season that has nowhere to write the second number.
Practise it
The free scenario "Two liberos under the 2026-27 rule" on the practice page runs this situation with a feed, and the daily set uses two liberos every third day. For the basics of the tracker itself read how to keep the libero tracking sheet.
Sources
Checked against these sources on 27 September 2026. Rules are paraphrased, never quoted at length, and local procedures differ by region, state and tournament; where yours differ, follow your referees.
- NFHS news release, Libero Rules Adjusted in High School Volleyball, 5 February 2026. two liberos may be designated per set from 2026-27 (rule 6-4-2), with changes to injury and disqualification replacement (10-4-3a, 10-4-3d).
- 2026-27 NFHS Volleyball Rules Interpretations, 6 August 2026. situations 1 to 4 on two liberos: one shared serving position, circling each libero's first entry on the scoresheet, and nothing on the tracker for an exchange between liberos.
- NFHS Volleyball Rules Book, 2026-27 edition. rule 5 (scorer and libero tracker duties), 6 (positions and serving order), 7 (lineups), 10 (substitution and libero replacement), 11 (time-outs).
- USA Volleyball Indoor Rules 2025-2027, published August 2025. rules 7 (rotation), 15 (substitutions, time-outs and improper requests), 16 (delays), 19 (the libero), 25 and 26 (scorer and assistant scorer).