Positions & Roles
What a setter, outside hitter, opposite, middle blocker, libero and defensive specialist each actually do on the court.
6 articles
Positions & Roles
The Setter
The setter is volleyball's on-court playmaker, touching the ball on nearly every rally to decide which hitter gets the next attack and where.
July 4, 2026 · 2 min read
Positions & Roles
Outside Hitter (Left-Side Hitter)
The outside hitter, attacking from the left side of the net, is usually a team's most heavily used attacker and its most reliable target when a pass is imperfect.
July 1, 2026 · 2 min read
Positions & Roles
Opposite Hitter (Right-Side Hitter)
The opposite hitter attacks from the right side of the net, often takes the second-most sets on the team, and is the position's primary blocker against the opponent's outside hitters.
June 28, 2026 · 2 min read
Positions & Roles
Middle Blocker
The middle blocker anchors the block at the net's center, reads the opposing offense to help block both outside and back-row attacks, and attacks with the fastest tempo on the team.
June 25, 2026 · 2 min read
Positions & Roles
The Libero
The libero is a back-row defensive specialist, easy to spot in a contrasting jersey, who can substitute freely for any back-row player but may never attack the ball above the net or block.
June 22, 2026 · 2 min read
Positions & Roles
Defensive Specialist (DS)
A defensive specialist is a substitute brought in through ordinary substitution rules, rather than libero rules, to strengthen back-row passing and digging for a specific hitter or rotation.
June 19, 2026 · 2 min read