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How tall do you have to be to be a setter?

Author

Emily Ross

Published Jan 22, 2026

Setter Height Requirements

Upper and mid-lower level tier one players for NCSA must be between 5 feet, 8 inches and 6 feet, 1 inch. For division two, the upper levels range is 5 feet, 7 inches to 5 feet, 10 inches and 5 feet, 4 inches to 5 feet, 10 inches for lower levels.

Do I need to be tall to be a setter?

Setters have to be able to set first and foremost, but in her latest column former Husker setter Lauren Cook explains why coaches love to find players 5-10 or taller who can do that.

Can I be a setter if I'm short?

If you are a short player, you will play in the “defensive specialists” that may as well pass the ball to the setter, who is usually a shorter player. Shorter players or those who cannot jump very high mostly play in back-row positions. Here, height does not bring any benefit.

How tall should a setter be?

The college-level standing reach for setters is approximately 7'5”, and liberos should be around 7”.

Can a setter be short in volleyball?

That there is a big possibility that a shorter/smaller setter will make faster moves to the ball. But that wouldn't be a good enough reason to choose a shorter setter over a taller setter because efficient footwork and reading can be taught to setters of all sizes.

26 related questions found

Who is the shortest libero?

Iranian-born Farhad Zarif is the shortest professional men's volleyball player to have achieved wide success in the sport. And at under 5 and a half feet tall, he's as much as a full foot shorter than many of his competitors! His height gave him a special advantage as his team's libero, or back row defense.

Can the setter spike?

In the sport of volleyball, there are no spikes without a setter.

Who is the shortest d1 volleyball player?

All rights reserved. Volleyball Voices copyright 2018-19. If you like these volleyball stories "The Shortest Volleyball Player on the Court: Debbie Green Vargas" and would like to read more stories about famous volleyball players...

What is a good spike height?

The BEST way to learn to spike is to first hit 2-meter high balls from the 3-meter (aka 10-foot or back-row spike) line. You can have it set higher if you want (see the impact of higher sets elsewhere in this article), but you should start at the 3-meter line, then move closer as the practice and season develop.

Can you be 5'2 and play volleyball?

No question. Tall, small, or large, everyone can play volleyball. If you want to play volleyball, you should be able to find communities that are very open and friendly in your area.

How tall should you be for volleyball?

While many volleyball players are tall, the minimum height is 5 feet tall, so if you meet the height and sometimes jumping requirements in your division and tier, you may find yourself playing college volleyball. These requirements vary per governing board and position, as well as tier.

What is the average height for volleyball?

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE HEIGHT OF A COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL PLAYER? Overall, the average height of a college volleyball player is around 5'10”. However, there are position- and division-specific averages that volleyball players should take into account when trying to determine their best division level.

How tall is the average libero?

It is exactly as Mark Lebedew said: liberos have become smaller, from an average height of 190cm when this position was introduced to the game in 1998, to an average of just over 183cm today.

What is the hardest position in girls volleyball?

Many things look easy and are very easy, but setting is not one of them. Setting might look like a piece of cake, but it is the hardest position in volleyball for many reasons. One reason is that as a setter, it is their job to get the second ball up to one of their hitters, even if the first pass was not any good.

How can I get taller?

Taking good care of yourself — eating well, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of rest — is the best way to stay healthy and help your body reach its natural potential. There's no magic pill for increasing height. In fact, your genes are the major determinant of how tall you'll be.

How high can a volleyball player jump?

Studies show that elite beach volleyball players can touch up to 11'2 (342cm) for men and 10'2 (312cm) for women jumping out of the sand on their spike approach. This translates to a maximum vertical jump height of about 34″ (87cm) for men and 28″ (72cm) for women.

How high do you need to jump to dunk?

To dunk, you'll need to be jumping around 35 inches high, which would be considered impressive even in professional sports. In the NBA there are players who consistently produce 40+ inch running vertical jumps that enable them to perform spectacular dunks in games.

How do you become a volleyball setter?

10 Ways To Become a Better Setter

  1. Be a leader. ...
  2. Be the hardest worker on the team. ...
  3. Know your hitters and what sets they like to hit. ...
  4. Keep your hands high. ...
  5. Make everyone around you better. ...
  6. Set from a consistent body position and hand position so you can be deceptive.

How hard is it to get a volleyball scholarship?

Because of the limited number of volleyball scholarships available, it can be difficult and competitive to receive a scholarship offer during high school. Even if you do not receive an offer from the school of your choice out of high school, there are still other ways that you can participate as a student athlete.

Can you jump set in volleyball?

Jump setting is the action to set the volleyball while in the air. The main act here requires “visual acuity” and critical thinking abilities.

How many times can a setter touch the ball?

A ball may be played three times on one side providing the same player does not touch the ball twice in succession. EXCEPTIONS: A. A ball hit simultaneously by two team mates is considered as one hit, and either player may contact the ball a second time.

What is an illegal set in volleyball?

The most common illegal set is a double touch. This occurs when one hand touches the ball before the other, causing the ball to spin. Another type of illegal set is a carry or lift, which is when the setter makes contact with the ball for too long during their pass.