INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel for softball announced Friday that it has approved video review for softball to begin in the 2022 regular season. The Southeastern Conference had used it on an experimental bases during the 2019 and 2021 conference tournaments, but schools can now use video review in regular-season play.
The new rule is optional for all schools to participate in based off of local capabilities on-site for replay.
Under the new rule, each head coach will have two challenges to initiate a review for the entirety of the game. A coach must verbally or visually indicate a challenge request before the next pitch, before the pitcher and all infielders have clearly vacated their normal fielding position and left fair territory, or before the umpires have left the field of play.
The umpire crew chief also has the discretion to initiate a review of designated plays beginning with the sixth inning of a game.
