NCAA roster limits under House Settlement threaten college golf walk-ons

April 20, 2025

While football and basketball dominate the $20.5 million revenue-sharing headlines, a seismic shift is eliminating 10,000-plus roster spots in non-revenue sports like golf, turning collegiate athletics’ developmental promise into a zero-sum game.

These changes stem from the $2.8 billion House v. NCAA settlement (pending final court approval as of April 2025), which introduces revenue sharing, NIL oversight, and hard roster limits to balance costs and competitive equity. Critics call the settlement a "structural overhaul" that sacrifices walk-on pathways, which have long fueled golf’s underdog success stories.

The settlement replaces scholarship caps with hard roster limits, allowing schools to offer full scholarships to all rostered athletes while capping total participants. Proponents claim this levels the playing field: smaller-budget schools can’t be outspent on scholarships, and wealthier programs can’t hoard talent. However, roster limits, which would cap teams at proposed nine-player limits for golf, risk eliminating walk-ons and growth pipelines.

Roster limits vs. walk-on tradition

College golf’s walk-on culture thrives on hidden gems—its non-scholarship athletes are foundational, not incidental. Historically, teams like Alabama, Oklahoma State, and Arizona State have sought out these athletes to strengthen roster depth. Scott Strohmeyer, a walk-on who didn’t pick up golf until age 15, rose to senior captain and played a pivotal role helping Alabama secure their first NCAA men’s team championship in 2013.

In 2023, Matthew Kress ignited walk-on momentum for Florida, going undefeated in SEC Championship match play to snap the Gators’ 12-year title drought. Coach J.C. Deacon told FloridaGators.com, “We don’t win it without Matt Kress.”

Virginia’s Paul Chang transitioned from club golfer to varsity standout, carding a first-round 64 to share the lead at the 2024 U.S. Amateur and notching multiple NCAA top-10 finishes, while Oregon’s Sonja Tang earned her spot in the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate lineup via qualifier—proving walk-ons still fight to contribute at the highest levels. 

Under the old system, with just 4.5 scholarships for men’s teams, walk-ons filled critical gaps. Jason Dufner’s journey—from Auburn walk-on to major champion and five-time PGA TOUR winner—epitomizes this system. However, the NCAA’s 2025 roster limits, capping teams at nine players, clash with golf’s long-term growth model. Arizona State’s Tim Mickelson stressed the importance of non-scholarship golfers for roster depth under pre-2025 scholarship structures, where teams relied on walk-ons to fill critical roles.

Paul Chang at the 2024 U.S. Amateur | Chris Keane/USGA (Left); Jason Dufner at the 2012 PGA Championship | Action Plus Sports Images/Alamy (Right)

Recruiting Chaos and Legal Limbo

The shift to proposed nine-player roster limits has ignited dual crises: a transfer portal surge and unresolved legal challenges over fairness. Power Four schools, scrambling to comply with impending caps, are rescinding offers to 2025 signees, forcing recruits like Lorenzo Rodriguez (Florida to Wake Forest) and Ethan Lien (Cal to UC San Diego) to reassess their options. Meanwhile, displaced athletes are overwhelming mid-majors with limited scholarship budgets, as some programs sidestep roster constraints by opting out of revenue sharing altogether.

During the April 7 hearing, Judge Claudia Wilken pushed to grandfather current athletes to shield them from impending roster cuts—a stance that clashed with NCAA warnings that roster changes had already created operational chaos. Attorney Laura Reathaford later argued the proposed limits disproportionately harm non-revenue sport athletes, including walk-ons, by restricting opportunities.

The NCAA doubled down on its position in an April 15 court filing, stating: "Countless roster moves have already been made... These decisions cascaded into tens of thousands of decisions by individual student-athletes" (NCAA legal brief, 2025).

Silver Linings and What’s Next

The settlement grants scholarship flexibility: rostered athletes, including golfers, could now receive full scholarship opportunities (though not guaranteed) instead of partial aid. Mid-major programs bypassing revenue sharing avoid roster caps entirely, absorbing athletes displaced by Power Four cuts. For Power Four schools, the shift unlocks full scholarships for rostered players—a historic upgrade where funded—while concentrating the $20.5 million annual revenue-sharing pool on football and basketball.

Game-Changing Shifts:

• Full Scholarships: Rostered athletes like golfers could receive full scholarships under the proposed terms, replacing partial-aid caps.

• Mid-Major Flexibility: Schools opting out of revenue sharing bypass roster limits, enabling roster expansion—though budget constraints may limit scholarships.

• Parity Debate: Supporters argue that limits help smaller schools compete, while critics counter that transfer rules and disparities in NIL opportunities give top programs the upper hand.

With the July 2025 implementation deadline looming, programs are cutting walk-on spots and downsizing teams, potentially limiting opportunities for developing players. “I needed to create my own opportunity,” says Dufner of his walk-on experience. Under the new system, tomorrow’s Dufner might never get the chance.