1. All players must compete in the division with the class they were in during the 2026-2027 Academic year.
2. Players can always play up a division but not down. Regardless if a player will repeat in the future or plans to do a Post Graduate year, he must play with in the Division in which his class would graduate.
3. Players can only play for one team during the tournament.
4. Only players who are registered and appear on team submitted roster are permitted to play in tournament.
5. Players enrolling in a Post Graduate year may play in the “oldest” Division the tournament offers, with proof of enrollment.
6. Please see Divisions (above) for age/grade standards.

***Naptown National Challenge uses an Age Verification service to confirm player eligibility.  All players are required to sign-up for this service and submit documentation to verify their age/grade and must play in the appropriate division according to the tournament rules stated in the Divisions section.  Failure to complete the age verification can lead to a player being removed from the tournament or a team forfeiting games.

2027 NCAA Rules and Regulations

Game Rules

• 2028 division will play with an NCAA shot clock
• 2029 – 2034 divisions – Referees discretion to impose a 30 second count (“Timer On”) and require a shot on goal if it is determined a team is stalling
• No Dive Rule is in effect 

Faceoffs

• When a faceoff player commits a violation, they are no longer allowed to participate in the immediate next faceoff
• Faceoff personnel must have color tape
• SNG: Stand-Up Neutral Grip

Game Time

• Last 2-minutes of games is stop/start time 
• Penalty time is stop/start time, always
• Time (penalty and game time) will be kept at the score table
• Shot clock time will stop during timeouts, out of bounds and dead ball situations.  Game clock will continue to run unless in the last 2-minutes of game.
• 2028 & 2029 divisions will start by central signal to begin. Then time will be kept at the score table. 
• Each team has 1 timeout per half (Clock stops)

2028-2031:

• Monday: Two 22-minute running halves
• Tuesday & Wednesday: Four 12-minute running quarters

2032-2034:

• Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday: 22-minute running halves

Overtime:

Monday

• 1 – 4-minute sudden victory period. If no one scores, game will end in a tie
• Each team has 1 timeout in overtime. Clock stops

Tuesday & Wednesday

• 1 continuous untimed sudden victory period until there is a winner
• Each team has 1 timeout in overtime

Any player, fan or coach ejected from the game could be prohibited from competing in his/her team’s next game. Decisions on the field will be the final ruling. Any fighting or flagrant disrespect toward an official will result in expulsion for the remainder of the tournament. No Exceptions, No Refunds.  

Seeding

2028-2031 (High School)

High School teams will play 2 games on Monday. Each Division has a selection committee who will watch the teams play. The committee will then seed their respective divisions. All teams will be seeded in the Championship Bracket that begins play on Tuesday morning. Most teams will play at least 3 games on Tuesday. Teams who receive a first-round bye may only play 2 games on Tuesday if they lose their first or second game. 

Championships will occur on Wednesday starting at 12:00 pm and occurring every 2 hours until last game starts at 6:00 pm. Any team that does not play in all scheduled games will not be invited to attend Naptown the following year.  All teams are expected to participate in all games on Tuesday, regardless of Championship bracket outcome.

2032-2034 (Youth)

Youth teams will be placed in Pools prior to the start of play. On Monday teams will participate in Pool games. All teams will then be seeded at the end of pool play on Monday. All teams will be seeded in the Championship Bracket that starts play on Tuesday morning with the Championship game played on Wednesday morning at Navy Stadium.

Pool Seeding (Youth Teams)

In the case of ties in the final standings for pool play, the following process will be used until all ties are broken and the seeding process is completed (ties will be broken in rank order beginning with the first procedure). If more than two teams are tied for a pool seed, once one team is removed from the tie, the seeding criteria reverts to the beginning of the procedure for the remaining teams tied.

Tie Breaker Procedure:

1. Head to Head.
2. Record vs Team(s) tied with.
3. Total goals against teams tied with, only games involving teams tied with.
4. Goal differential with teams tied with (goal differential will not exceed +/- 7 per game).
5. Total goals against versus common opponents.
6. Goal differential versus common opponents (goal differential will not exceed +/- 7 per game).
7. Goals against overall.
8. Goal differential overall.
9. Coin flip.

Any 2032-2034 team that plays 4 games on Monday, the 4th game will not count toward their pool play record, GA, GD. The game does count for their opponent.

Divisional Seeding (Youth Teams):

Divisional seeding will follow below criteria after pool seeding is determined.

1. Seed in pool
2. Overall Record
3. Goals Against Average
4. Goal Differential (goal differential will not exceed +/- 7 per game).

NLV is the official and exclusive video company for this event. As such, they are the only party permitted to provide commercial and elevated filming services to the high school divisions at this event. Any unauthorized elevated filming is strictly prohibited and will be enforced on-site.

Spectators may film their own matches for personal use, so long as it does not interfere with NLV’s ability to record matches and they do not use elevated filming equipment that extends more than 1 foot above their natural head height.

No Veo cameras, Trace cameras, Hi-Pods, or other devices on similar nature will be permitted to record the high school age divisions. Violators of this policy will be made to remove their equipment and subject to action by NLV to exercise their legal media rights to this event.