Understanding the New NCAA Scholarship Limits: What It Means for Your Student-Athletes

The NCAA is introducing exciting changes to team rosters and scholarship limits that will significantly impact college sports and create more opportunities for high school graduates to compete at the next level. Starting in the 2025-26 academic year, the NCAA will expand roster size across various sports, as well as increase the number of available athletic scholarships that universities are allowed to grant student-athletes.

More College Access and Opportunities for Students

The new NCAA roster and scholarship limits are designed to increase access and opportunities for more student-athletes to pursue their academic and athletic goals. By expanding limits to how many student-athletes are allowed on a team roster, more high school athletes – who may have been on the edge of playing college sports – now have the chance to join teams and compete at the next level.

Understanding the New NCAA Scholarship and Roster Limits

In the new model, NCAA schools are permitted to offer a scholarship to each player on a sport’s roster up to the new roster limits. With the move, roughly 790 new scholarships are available across the 40-plus NCAA sports. According to Yahoo Sports, there were previously about 500 scholarships available under the old model; the new limits increase that number to over 1,200.

For example, football will see its scholarship cap rise from 85 to a roster limit of 105, adding 20 more scholarships for schools willing to offer the maximum. Baseball, currently limited to 11.7 scholarships, will see a significant increase to a 34-player roster limit, translating to an additional 22.3 possible scholarships.

Furthermore, one of the biggest changes to the scholarship and roster limits is the removal of headcount sports. Now, all sports will be considered equivalency sports, meaning college coaches can choose to offer a range of scholarship amounts to rostered student-athletes.

Below is the list of proposed roster limit for 2025-2026 :

SPORT	SEX	OLD ROSTER #	NEW ROSTER #	INCREASE
Baseball	Men	11.7	34	22.3
Basketball	Women	15	15	0
Basketball	Men	13	15	2
Beach volleyball	Women	6	19	13
Bowling	Women	5	11	6
Cross country	Women	6	17	11
Cross country	Men	5	17	12
Equestrian	Women	15	50	35
Fencing	Women	5	24	19
Fencing	Men	4.5	24	19.5
Field hockey	Women	12	27	15
Football	Men	85	105	20
Golf	Women	6	9	3
Golf	Men	4.5	9	4.5
Gymnastics	Women	12	20	8
Gymnastics	Men	6.3	20	13.7
Ice hockey	Women	18	26	8
Ice hockey	Men	18	26	8
Lacrosse	Women	12	38	26
Lacrosse	Men	12.6	48	35.4
Rifle	Both	3.6	12	8.4
Rowing	Women	20	68	48
Skiing	Women	7	16	9
Skiing	Men	6.3	16	9.7
Soccer	Women	14	28	14
Soccer	Men	9.9	28	18.1
Softball	Women	12	25	13
Stunt	Both	14	65	51
Swim	Women	14	30	16
Swim	Men	9.9	30	20.1
Tennis	Women	8	10	2
Tennis	Men	4.5	10	5.5
Track	Women	18	45	27
Track	Men	12.6	45	35.4
Triathlon	Women	6.5	14	7.5
Tumbling	Women	14	55	41
Volleyball	Women	12	18	6
Volleyball	Men	4.5	18	13.5
Water polo	Women	8	24	16
Water polo	Men	4.5	24	19.5
Wrestling	Women	10	30	20
Wrestling	Men	9.9	30	20.1

For schools, students, and their families, this presents an exciting development but also underscores the importance of being academically eligible to take advantage of these new opportunities.

Honest Insight: The repercussions of the scholarship and roster updates will vary by college or university. Schools may increase their roster limits without increasing the available scholarship dollars. We might also see more rostered student-athletes receiving smaller scholarship packages. Or, it could result in more walk-on rostered student-athletes receiving zero athletic aid.

Honest Game recommends casting a wider net as students look for opportunities to play college sports, as some schools may increase roster limits without increasing scholarship dollars right away.

Why Academic Eligibility Matters More Than Ever

With larger rosters and more scholarships available, academic eligibility is now in the spotlight because more is at stake. The NCAA requires student-athletes to meet certain academic standards to participate in college sports. These standards include a minimum NCAA Core GPA and completion of 16 NCAA-approved Core Courses, among other requirements.

Failing to meet these requirements can prevent a student-athlete from competing, regardless of their athletic abilities. Understanding and navigating NCAA academic eligibility rules is critical. Honest Game’s Academic Eligibility Guide outlines the steps to maintain eligibility, from planning out high school courses early to staying on top of academic performance throughout the school year. With increased opportunities to play, ensuring academic readiness is vital to prevent missing out due to eligibility issues.

Preparing for the Future: A Unified Approach

As the NCAA expands opportunities, the importance of academic preparation cannot be overstated. Honest Game provides guidance and resources to help student-athletes navigate this complex eligibility landscape, ensuring they are prepared to succeed both in the classroom and on the field.

Stay ahead of the curve with Honest Game! Let’s work together to ensure that you give your students the tools they need to succeed in this new era of college athletics.

By Joyce Anderson, Honest Game Co-founder and COO
Having served on the NCAA Eligibility Center High School Advisory Board and as the College Bound Student-Athlete Advisor at Evanston Township High School (Evanston, IL), Joyce has advised more than 2,000 high school student-athletes and families on academic eligibility and recruiting.