Unfilled Roster Spots

23 is very short on the roster. However, some programs intentionally carry fewer than 35. My son's team carries 28-30, and several of the players are two way.

Some programs do not fully fund their program and want to keep the roster small.

Some programs would rather keep the roster small to keep everyone involved and ready to go when needed.

And other just can't find players to fill their roster.

Short of asking a coach, I have noodled up the possible reasons.

1. overall roster limited because of title IX proportionality restraints imposed by administration. [possible, but if this were the case it would be hard to hire a good coach]

2. roster limited because of operating budget constraints. (Every extra two kids you take on spring trips and overnight trips costs a hotel room and meals. Plus uniforms, etc. Also would be hard to hire a good coach.)

3. Scholarships limited and school is unable/uninterested in filling the empty spots with the walk-on talent actually available to walk-on as opposed to being recruited.

4. School/coach is handicapped in recruiting walk-ons (non-scholarship athletes) by a combination of admissions restrictions and the cost of attendance.

I'm thinking it is probably a combination. Northwestern is private, and highly selective, so anyone who walks on there has to be admittable and either pay the freight or qualify for need-based aid. That limits your group that you could select from (not to mention being worth having on the team). Also, if you're good enough to have the coach interested in your walking on, you might get a more aggressive recruitment somewhere else....at least where you felt more wanted.

If you are a coach at, for example, Michigan State, and your program is not fully funded in scholarships, at least there is the in-state tuition option which would give you a decent number of walk on candidates from your own state. If you are a private school, with their tuition levels, recruiting your walk-ons is not going to be nearly as easy.

Its hard to figure out, because there are many other schools which are private and which don't have the full 11.7, but they still have a full roster. Some are in the same ballpark as Northwestern regarding selectivity and costs. Such as Georgetown and Duke.

Is it really possible that anyone wants to actually keep the roster small?---other than for external reasons?

Historically Northwestern generally carries up to 28 rostered players. I believe this year they had a few players not come back for what would have been their senior year due to a variety of reasons, i.e. one signed after being drafted, one or two for academic reasons, and one or two from injuries. They have a fairly large recruiting class coming in to get back to the 28 range. Despite having only 23 on the roster, they did fairly well in the Big Ten after struggling early in the season

Actually a smaller roster is an advantage for the kids that are on the team, as all or most get to play. That being said, Northwestern is somewhat handicapped from a recruiting standpoint due to academic requirements for admission, cost of attending, and being a Northern school. A degree from Northwestern, especially coupled with being an athlete in a Big Ten program, is certainly a plus!