The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved Thursday a new women’s lacrosse rule that allows substitutions when the game clock is stopped.

It is not a rules change year for the sport, but an alteration may be made to a previous rule that caused unintended consequences. This change is an alteration to a rule implemented during the 2018 season that affected the substitution procedure, which will now allow the continuation of the free movement rules the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Rules Committee recommended last year.

The new rule removed the provision that prohibits players from entering the field as a substitute while the clock is stopped.

The 2018 season was the first time players could keep moving after a foul or violation while the player possessing the ball restarts play. A two-meter nonengagement area was established around the player awarded possession of the ball. All other players on the field were free to move outside the nonengagement area too.