When news broke that the NCAA was eliminating scholarship caps, many athletes and families thought: more scholarships, more opportunities. And while that’s partly true, there’s another side to the story — roster limits.
In this post, we’ll break down exactly what these new limits mean, how they work by sport, and how you can make informed decisions during your recruiting process.
What Are Roster Limits?
As part of the House v. NCAA settlement, NCAA Division I schools can now offer as many scholarships as they want — but each team must stay within a set roster limit.
These roster caps are based on the average team size over the past few seasons and are now used to replace the old scholarship count (head-count) rules.
Why This Matters:
- Scholarship limits are gone, but roster spots are not unlimited.
- Fewer walk-on opportunities in many sports.
- Coaches must be selective about who gets a spot — even if they have money to offer.
Full Roster Caps by Sport (2025–26 Season)
Here’s a breakdown of new roster caps across key Division I sports:
| Sport | Previous Scholarship Limit | New Roster Cap |
| Baseball (M) | 11.7 scholarships | 34 players |
| Softball (W) | 12 scholarships | 25 players |
| Lacrosse (M) | 12.6 scholarships | 48 players |
| Lacrosse (W) | 12 scholarships | 38 players |
| Soccer (W) | 14 scholarships | 28 players |
| Soccer (M) | 9.9 scholarships | 28 players |
| Football (FBS) | 85 scholarships | 105 players |
| Football (FCS) | 63 scholarships | 105 players |
| Ice Hockey (M) | 18 scholarships | 26 players |
| Ice Hockey (W) | 18 scholarships | 26 players |
| Volleyball (W) | 12 scholarships | 18 players |
| Volleyball (M) | 4.5 scholarships | 18 players |
| Gymnastics (W) | 12 scholarships | 20 players |
| Swimming (W) | 14 scholarships | 30 players |
| Swimming (M) | 9.9 scholarships | 30 players |
| Field Hockey | 12 scholarships | 27 players |
| Basketball (M) | 13 scholarships | 15 players |
| Basketball (W) | 15 scholarships | 15 players |
| Track & Field (M/W) | Varies | 45 players each |
| Rowing (W) | 20 scholarships | 68 players |
| Tennis (W) | 8 scholarships | 10 players |
| Tennis (M) | 4.5 scholarships | 10 players |
| Wrestling (M) | 9.9 scholarships | 30 players |
| Wrestling (W) | 10 scholarships | 30 players |
How the “Designated Athlete” System Works
If a team currently has more athletes than allowed by the new roster limits, they must “designate” returning athletes to stay on the team without violating rules. Any current college athletes cut from teams because of roster limits, in addition to any recruits with offers pulled, are considered Designated Student Athletes.
- Coaches have until July 6, 2025 to make those decisions.
- Designated athletes must meet conditions set by the school.
- These athletes will not count against the roster limit at their given school for the remainder of their eligibility.
- Freshman recruits will generally not be designated — so coaches must recruit within their new caps.
Translation: If a team is close to its roster cap, that could mean fewer spots for incoming recruits.
What Is the Opt-In Process?
Not every school is automatically part of the new model.
- The settlement covers Power 5 schools (SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, and Pac-12) and a few others.
- Other D-I programs must choose to opt in by June 30, 2025 to offer revenue sharing and operate under the new structure.
Why it matters for recruiting:
- Opting in allows a school to distribute athlete compensation and must comply with new roster rules.
- Schools that do not opt in may retain older scholarship models.
- This affects whether a school can pay athletes, how many players they can carry, and what recruiting opportunities may exist.
- Always ask: “Has your school opted into the new settlement?” to understand what system they’re operating under.
Impact Assessment: Who May Benefit and Who Should Be Cautious?
Potential Beneficiaries:
- Top-tier recruits in football and men’s basketball — these sports are likely to command the most direct pay and roster investment.
- Programs with large budgets that can fully fund their capped rosters.
- Schools seeking Title IX compliance may boost investment in women’s sports — but this is not guaranteed.
Things to Watch Out For:
- Walk-ons and partial scholarship athletes in sports like baseball, lacrosse, and football, where rosters are being compressed.
- Athletes in Olympic or non-revenue sports — while some schools may invest more, others may downsize or drop programs to manage budget and compliance risk.
- Schools that do not opt in may not offer the same benefits — and might maintain status quo limitations.
Important note on Title IX: The settlement does not include Title IX enforcement provisions. Legal experts expect new lawsuits on gender equity in athlete compensation. Just because the rules allow for fair distribution doesn’t mean every school will follow through. Always ask how the program is planning to support both men’s and women’s teams.
Examples of Roster Spot Changes
Baseball:
Previously, baseball had large rosters (35–40+), which are now capped at 35. That means fewer walk-on spots. If you’re not being actively recruited by summer before senior year, the chances of walking on are now much lower.
Women’s Volleyball:
Women’s Volleyball has a roster cap of 18, but many programs didn’t carry much more than this already. Top programs may now fully fund all roster spots, potentially creating more scholarship opportunities.
Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse:
In lacrosse, new caps: 49 (men), 40 (women). These are tight for programs that carried mid-50s rosters. If you’re a defensive specialist, faceoff or goalie, your value will depend on positional need more than ever.
Soccer:
Men’s and women’s soccer is now capped at 32 roster spots. This could impact the depth chart, especially for walk-ons. Ask how many players a school plans to carry and whether they’re funding all 32.
Smart Questions to Ask Coaches
- What is your current roster size and cap under the new rules?
- Will your school be opting into the new model?
- How will you handle walk-ons moving forward?
- How many athletes in my class are you planning to recruit?
- Have you already designated returning players for next year?
- How are you supporting both men’s and women’s teams under the new rules?
Key Dates to Know
- June 30, 2025: Deadline for schools to opt into the settlement
- July 6, 2025: Deadline to designate over-cap returning players
- Fall 2025: New roster caps take effect for fall sports
- December 1, 2025: Winter/spring teams must be compliant by their season start or Dec. 1
Final Thoughts
Roster limits don’t mean opportunity is gone — they mean you need to be more intentional in your recruiting process. That’s where SportsRecruits can help.
With access to every college program, contact tools, and data to help you stay informed, you can make smarter choices and be more prepared than ever.
Learn more or sign up to stay ahead.
Want the full settlement breakdown? Read the cornerstone post here.
