How To Calculate Kill Percentage In Volleyball Stats
By The Calcumatix Team Reviewed by Calcumatix Editorial Review 2 min read
Quick Answer
Kill percentage in volleyball is kills divided by total attack attempts, then multiplied by 100, so 15 kills on 40 attempts is 37.5 percent. It is not the same as hitting percentage, which subtracts errors first. Kill percentage only rewards kills, so a player can have a high kill percentage and still make many errors.
Kill percentage is useful when a coach wants to know how often a hitter scores on attacks. The stat is related to hitting percentage, but it is not the same. Hitting percentage subtracts errors, while kill percentage measures scoring rate only. This guide explains both ideas so a reader can pick the right number for a stat sheet or team review.
What Is Kill Percentage In Volleyball?
Kill percentage measures how often an attack attempt becomes a kill. The formula is kills divided by total attacks, then multiplied by 100 if you want a percent display.
This stat is different from hitting percentage because it does not subtract attack errors. Kill percentage focuses only on scoring rate. Hitting percentage focuses on attack efficiency after errors. Both stats can help, but they answer different coaching questions.
How Do You Calculate Kill Percentage?
You calculate kill percentage with kills ÷ total attacks × 100. Use total attacks as the denominator, not only the attacks that ended in a kill or error.
Worked example: a hitter has 12 kills on 35 total attacks.
- Formula with values: kill percentage = 12 ÷ 35 × 100.
- Step 1: 12 ÷ 35 = 0.3428571429.
- Step 2: 0.3428571429 × 100 = 34.28571429.
- Result: kill percentage = 34.3%, rounded to one decimal place.
How Is Kill Percentage Different From Hitting Percentage?
Kill percentage ignores attack errors, while hitting percentage subtracts errors before dividing by attacks. That is why kill percentage can look strong even when a hitter gives away many points.
Example: a hitter has 10 kills, 6 errors, and 30 total attacks. Kill percentage = 10 ÷ 30 × 100 = 33.3%, rounded to one decimal place. Hitting percentage = (10 − 6) ÷ 30 = 4 ÷ 30 = .133, rounded to three decimals.
When Should A Coach Use Kill Percentage?
A coach should use kill percentage when the question is pure scoring rate on attack attempts. It helps show which hitters turn swings into points, especially when comparing players who face similar blocks and similar set quality.
A coach should use hitting percentage when the question is net efficiency. If a player scores often but commits many attack errors, hitting percentage will show the cost more clearly than kill percentage. Use the Volleyball Hitting Percentage Calculator for that stat.
What Counts As A Total Attack?
Total attacks include kills, attack errors, and attacks kept in play by the defense. NCAA volleyball stat rules describe total attacks as kills plus errors plus zero attacks, so the denominator should include swings that did not end the rally.
Leaving out zero attacks will overstate the kill percentage. If a hitter has 8 kills, 4 errors, and 18 zero attacks, total attacks are 8 + 4 + 18 = 30. The kill percentage is 8 ÷ 30 × 100 = 26.7%, rounded to one decimal place.
Sources And Notes For Kill Percentage
- NCAA Official Volleyball Statistics Rules for kills, errors, and total attacks.
- Pro Volleyball Federation Statistics Guide for kill percentage and hitting efficiency definitions.
Frequently asked questions
Is kill percentage the same as hitting percentage?
Kill percentage is not the same as hitting percentage. Kill percentage uses kills divided by attacks, while hitting percentage uses kills minus errors divided by attacks.
Can kill percentage be negative?
Kill percentage cannot be negative because kills cannot be below zero. Hitting percentage can be negative because errors are subtracted from kills.
Should kill percentage be shown as a percent?
Kill percentage is easiest to read as a percent. If a hitter has 9 kills on 30 attacks, 9 / 30 x 100 = 30%.
What is the best related calculator?
The Volleyball Hitting Percentage Calculator is the closest related tool because it uses kills, errors, and total attacks. Kill percentage is simpler because it leaves errors out.