What's the latest on D1 roster sizes?

[fatlaz]

As recently as early September,  wrestling was going to 30 maximum roster size with 30 full scholarships available for the 2025-2026 school year.  Similar changes are being applied to other sports.  I think I heard the scholarship/roster size change is on hold.  Does anyone know for sure?  How many teams would finance 30 full scholarships?

[MPhillips]

Power 5 Teams with over 30 wrestlers in 2023-202
 

School	2023-24 Roster	Conference
Oregon State	43	Pac 12
Iowa State	41	Big 12
Iowa	40	Big 10
Michigan State	39	Big 10
Missouri	38	SEC/Big 12
Oklahoma State	38	Big 12
Arizona State	37	Big 12
Michigan	37	Big 10
Penn State	37	Big 10
West Virginia	37	Big 12
Nebraska	35	Big 10
Oklahoma	35	SEC/Big 12
Ohio State	34	Big 10
Virginia Tech	34	ACC
Virginia	33	ACC
Indiana	32	Big 10
Maryland	32	Big 10
North Carolina	32	ACC
Pittsburgh	32	ACC
NC State	31	ACC
Purdue	31	Big 10

List of non-power 5 schools - they can opt in to the revenue sharing but then have to offer the 30 scholarships and cap their roster size to 30
 

School	2023-24 Roster	Conference
Army	53	EIWA
Navy	49	EIWA
Sacred Heart	49	EIWA
Lehigh	45	EIWA
Kent State	44	MAC
Bellarmine	43	SOCON
Clarion	40	MAC
Cornell	38	Ivy League
Penn	38	Ivy League
Air Force	37	Big 12
Northern Illinois	37	MAC
Rider	37	MAC
VMI	37	SOCON
Columbia	36	Ivy League
Northern Colorado	36	Big 12
Ohio	36	MAC
South Dakota State	36	Big 12
Appalachian State	35	SOCON
Cleveland State	35	MAC
Drexel	35	EIWA
California Baptist	34	Big 12
Lock Haven	34	MAC
North Dakota State	34	Big 12
Harvard	33	Ivy League
Little Rock	33	Pac 12
Long Island	33	EIWA
Wyoming	33	Big 12
Binghamton	32	EIWA
Bucknell	32	EIWA
Buffalo	32	MAC
Franklin & Marshall	32	EIWA
Gardner-Webb	32	SOCON
George Mason	32	MAC
Cal Poly	31	Pac 12
Edinboro	31	MAC
Northern Iowa	31	Big 12
Chattanooga	30	SOCON
CSU Bakersfield	30	Pac 12
SIUE	30	MAC
Campbell	29	SOCON
Central Michigan	29	MAC
Princeton	29	Ivy League
The Citadel	29	SOCON
Davidson	28	SOCON
Hofstra	28	EIWA
Mercyhurst	28
Morgan State	28
American	27	EIWA
Utah Valley	26	Big 12
Bloomsburg	23	MAC
Brown	23	Ivy League
Presbyterian	21	SOCON

[ionel]

Is Oregon St really still a Power 5? 

[MPhillips]

15 minutes ago, ionel said:

Is Oregon St really still a Power 5? 

The list is from June or July I believe...

[Caveira]

What’s the rationale behind the roster limits?  Especially given it looks like it could impact 80% of the teams ???

[ionel]

3 minutes ago, Caveira said:

What’s the rationale behind the roster limits?  Especially given it looks like it could impact 80% of the teams ???

Pretty sure this is part of the lawsuit settlement for then distributing money back out to athletes.  Lawsuits have consequences. 

[H82Lose]

So, if they do not make the 30, they will move to RTC and pay for their school? IF they want to remain with said school? Obviously, there will not be a lot of kids doing this, but is what what they do if they want to remain on "team"

[fatlaz]

There was a lot of discussion about this a few months ago, but that discussion just kind of went away.  I didn't see any team hand out 20 more scholarships this signing period.   Football goes from 85 to 105 scholarships with a roster limit of 105, so no walkons?  This was supposed to be for next season which should affect this signing period. 

[1032004]

3 hours ago, fatlaz said:

How many teams would finance 30 full scholarships?

I’d be shocked if it was more than 2, and wouldn’t be surprised if it is zero

[MPhillips]

Isn't it actually the revenue sharing money financing the scholarships and not the teams?

[CHROMEBIRD]

4 hours ago, H82Lose said:

So, if they do not make the 30, they will move to RTC and pay for their school? IF they want to remain with said school? Obviously, there will not be a lot of kids doing this, but is what what they do if they want to remain on "team"

Making the 30 doesn't mean you're getting any money from the school. Most won't. It just means you can be a part of the team. The loophole is that they could just move to the RTC, but since we're talking most third stringers and walk-ons it's more likely that they'll leave the sport, sadly.

[H82Lose]

17 hours ago, CHROMEBIRD said:

Making the 30 doesn't mean you're getting any money from the school. Most won't. It just means you can be a part of the team. The loophole is that they could just move to the RTC, but since we're talking most third stringers and walk-ons it's more likely that they'll leave the sport, sadly.

There might be some cases, not a lot, but some where the 3rd stringers may transfer somewhere and wrestle. Iowa St. Has 8 kids in 125/133 Terukina moves out, then you have Castillo, Pearson, and Koester entering that group. Grice may transfer out, and I see Frost going up next year...but still you see the depth challenge. I can see having 5 total between those weights? maybe, and I mean maybe 6? But highly doubtful. 

[Gus]

On 11/24/2024 at 9:05 AM, H82Lose said:

There might be some cases, not a lot, but some where the 3rd stringers may transfer somewhere and wrestle. Iowa St. Has 8 kids in 125/133 Terukina moves out, then you have Castillo, Pearson, and Koester entering that group. Grice may transfer out, and I see Frost going up next year...but still you see the depth challenge. I can see having 5 total between those weights? maybe, and I mean maybe 6? But highly doubtful. 

With a roster size of 30, you could be 3 deep at every weight class so 6 total guys between 125/133 would be pretty standard. 8+ would be excessive. 

[H82Lose]

18 minutes ago, Gus said:

With a roster size of 30, you could be 3 deep at every weight class so 6 total guys between 125/133 would be pretty standard. 8+ would be excessive. 

Yes sir...I agree. 

[Idaho]

Most schools with large rosters have already started trimming. Oregon State was the largest at 43, is now down to 36. With the number going out and the number coming in next year they will have a little room to add a transfer if needed. Very doubtful coaches will try to hide a 4th string guy at the RTC. There are a lot of guys on D1 rosters who will never get close to staring that could  and should go to D2 or NAIA and start. Time for some kids and parents to get a little more realistic about post HS wrestling. 

[CHROMEBIRD]

6 minutes ago, Idaho said:

Most schools with large rosters have already started trimming. Oregon State was the largest at 43, is now down to 36. With the number going out and the number coming in next year they will have a little room to add a transfer if needed. Very doubtful coaches will try to hide a 4th string guy at the RTC. There are a lot of guys on D1 rosters who will never get close to staring that could  and should go to D2 or NAIA and start. Time for some kids and parents to get a little more realistic about post HS wrestling. 

I agree with most of this, though I can see a coach stashing a 4th stringer or walk-on in the RTC. It doesn't really cost them anything, and why not have a scrappy kid with a chip on his shoulder in the room? Nick Saban makes a good point about the value of walk-ons:

"To not be able to offer those opportunities to guys I think is very unfortunate. I hate it because those are the kind of guys you want on your team. They're motivated the right way, they're working hard every day, they're trying to prove something and not to be able to give them the opportunity to do that is something I don't think is good for college sports."

Realistically though, I think those guys will either quit the sport or move to a smaller program or conference where they might actually get some sort of tangible benefit by officially being on the team.

Edited 18 hours ago by CHROMEBIRD

[Idaho]

2 hours ago, CHROMEBIRD said:

I agree with most of this, though I can see a coach stashing a 4th stringer or walk-on in the RTC. It doesn't really cost them anything, and why not have a scrappy kid with a chip on his shoulder in the room? Nick Saban makes a good point about the value of walk-ons:

"To not be able to offer those opportunities to guys I think is very unfortunate. I hate it because those are the kind of guys you want on your team. They're motivated the right way, they're working hard every day, they're trying to prove something and not to be able to give them the opportunity to do that is something I don't think is good for college sports."

Realistically though, I think those guys will either quit the sport or move to a smaller program or conference where they might actually get some sort of tangible benefit by officially being on the team.

Nobody knows yet how this will be enforced. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in regards to the RTC. The last thing you want is liability for guys practicing with the team who are not rostered members.  The best bet for those guys would be to move to a smaller division  and see if they can transfer and get a rostered spot after a year. it will also be interesting to see how this impacts all levels of wrestling.