Roster Limits

For participating schools, NCAA scholarship limits have been removed, and roster limits have been established for each sport.

All participating schools now have the option to offer full or partial scholarships to every student-athlete on a team’s roster, so long as the total number of student-athletes on a given roster does not exceed the sport-specific roster limit, as outlined below.

Removing scholarship limits gives schools the flexibility to better support their student-athletes and their education, while supporting the long-term success of broad-based sports programs. This change provides more opportunities for student-athletes to receive scholarships, including in non-revenue-generating sports.

Overview

Beginning the day after an institution’s deadline for roster submission, only student-athletes listed on a sport’s submitted roster may participate in athletically related activities (countable, required, or voluntary) for the rest of the academic year or the end of the sport’s playing season, whichever is later. Any student-athlete receiving an athletics scholarship or payments, benefits, or expenses must be included on the sport’s submitted roster for the entirety of the academic year in which they receive those benefits. Multi-sport athletes must be listed on the submitted roster for each sport they compete in.

Roster Submission

Institutions must submit a roster for each sport in CAPS no later than the calendar day before the first contest or date of competition used for championship selection or December 1, whichever is earlier. While student-athletes identified by institutions as Designated Student-Athletes (“DSAs”) in Summer 2025 do not count against the roster limits for the applicable sport rosters, institution must indicate all DSAs exempt from a sport’s roster limit when submitting each roster in CAPS.

Roster Inclusion

With limited exceptions, a student-athlete must be included on a roster to participate in athletically related activities (countable, required, or voluntary) through the end of the academic year or playing season, whichever is later. Additionally, any student-athlete receiving athletically related financial aid or settlement-related payments, benefits, or expenses must be included on a roster during the academic year in which the student-athletes receives such aid, payments, benefits, or expenses.

Roster Changes

Once a roster is submitted, a sport must comply with the roster limits through the end of the academic year or playing season, whichever is later. Only under limited circumstances can a student-athlete be replaced on a submitted roster.

 

 

Old Scholarship Limits and New Roster Limits

Sport Old Scholarship Limit New Roster Limit Potential Increase in Scholarships
Acrobatics & Tumbling (W) 14 55 41
Baseball (M) 11.7 34 22.3
Basketball (M) 13 15 2
Basketball (W) 15 15 0
Beach Volleyball (W) 6 19 13
Bowling (W) 5 11 6
Cross Country (M) 5 17 12
Cross Country (W) 6 17 11
Equestrian (W) 15 50 35
Fencing (M) 4.5 24 19.5
Fencing (W) 5 24 19
Field Hockey (W) 12 27 15
Football (M) 85 105 20
Golf (M) 4.5 9 4.5
Golf (W) 6 9 3
Gymnastics (M) 6.3 20 13.7
Gymnastics (W) 12 20 8
Ice Hockey (M) 18 26 8
Ice Hockey (W) 18 26 8
Lacrosse (W) 12 38 26
Lacrosse (M) 12.6 48 35.4
Rifle (M & W) 3.6 12 8.4
Rowing (W) 20 68 48
Rugby (W) 12 36 24
Skiing (M) 6.3 16 9.7
Skiing (W) 7 16 9
Soccer (M) 9.9 28 18.1
Soccer (W) 14 28 14
Softball (W) 12 25 13
Stunt (W) 14 65 51
Swimming & Diving (M) 9.9 30 20.1
Swimming & Diving (W) 14 30 16
Tennis (M) 4.5 10 5.5
Tennis (W) 8 10 2
Track & Field Indoor (M) 12.6 45 35.4
Track & Field Indoor (W) 18 45 27
Track & Field Outdoor (M) 12.6 45 35.4
Track & Field Outdoor (W) 18 45 27
Triathlon (W) 6.5 14 7.5
Volleyball (M) 4.5 18 13.5
Volleyball (W) 12 18 6
Water Polo (M) 4.5 24 19.5
Water Polo (W) 8 24 16
Wrestling (M) 9.9 30 20.1
Wrestling (W) 10 30 20

A summary of the rules governing roster limits can be found on our Rules & Policies page. Approved NCAA roster limits rules can be found on the Roster Limits Rules page. Click below.

Rules and Policies
Roster Limits Rules