Freshman at Auburn Adds Letter to House v NCAA Lawsuit Opposing Roster Limits

by Madeline Folsom 13

January 11th, 2025 College, News, SEC

Auburn Freshman swimmer Keaton Rice added a letter to the House v NCAA docket yesterday discussing the impact of roster limits as he implored the court to “grandfather” athletes into their programs.

Boise State Assistant Professor Sam Ehrlich posted the letter on X with the sensitive information removed


Rice states that “these roster limits are unfair for the student athletes that are currently participating in college sports.” He goes on to discuss how half the team would be released, and he would lose roughly $30,000 a year due to the high out-of-state cost of attending Auburn.

He also listed the other “monetary perks” the athletes would lose once they were cut, including free dining, free healthcare, free tutoring, and free tickets to all sporting events.

Rice then goes into discussing his own personal situation, saying “I am a freshman and they would need to cut 20 men so I am sure to go,”. According to Rice, it would cost his parents an extra $40,000 a year for him to continue to attend Auburn after being released, and this is a cost they would not have committed to had they known he could be released. He also mentions that they already have a lease agreement for housing next year with his parents as co-signers which he would not be able to break.

He then explains how it is too late for him to enter the portal, but it is “cost prohibitive to remain without all the financial benefits of being an athlete.”

Rice ends his letter telling the court, “you must consider the thousands of us that will be in the same position and allow us to be “grandfathered in” since we made decisions for our future based on circumstances that were previously set in stone!”

Rice is previously from Texas, coming from Lakeside Aquatic Club in Flower Mound. He has only competed in one meet for Auburn this year, the Georgia Tech Invitational, where he placed 24th in the 100 free at 44.97 and 25th in the 200 free at 1:38.70.

These were both slight adds from his best times of 44.76 in the 100 and 1:38.57 in the 200. He also swam on Auburn’s ‘D’ 400 free relay, leading off in 44.88, their ‘D’ 400 medley relay, again leading off in 49.15 on the backstroke, and their ‘E’ 200 free relay where he went 20.55.

Auburn currently has 44 men on their roster. 11 of those swimmers are seniors or graduate students, but they have already signed 10 on for next year. The SEC roster cap has reportedly been finalized at 22 athletes, which means a significant number of men would need to be cut to reach this limit.

Schools do not need to meet the swimming roster limit by the start of the school year, they just need to be compliant by their first meet of the season. This year Auburn’s first meet was October 11th.

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Sean Justice
1 hour ago

When Keaton states that he was lose 30k if he was cut, is that because he would have a full ride is not release, or is this related to his current scholarship. To be honest, I would guess from his times at the mid-season that he is not on any or a very low percentage of a scholarship.

Probably not the point of the article, but it seems to be a little fast and loose with the impact. The impact should be based off of the current situation, IMO.

Aquatic Ursine
1 hour ago

“Get stuffed” – The US Legal System

Tani
1 hour ago

When you’re a newbie, best to always keep your mouth ferme.

Peter spamdrew
Reply to  Tani
43 minutes ago

Those rules don’t seem important when it’s the future of your swim career on the line…

One who watches
1 hour ago

They took 44 guys on the roster and it’s impossible to say they didn’t see some roster reduction possibility coming last year as House got closer to conclusion. That’s poor decision making that is on AU (and other schools who have similar roster sizes)

Feel bad for the young man and glad he’s making his voice heard but this was a program and AD mistake.

BR32
1 hour ago

Bro doesn’t wanna get cut 😭

Ricksays
2 hours ago

The NCAA gave him $6,000 plus healthcare? I don’t think how this works….

Jimbo
Reply to  Ricksays
1 hour ago

I think he means Alston case payments.

Crooked lane lines
Reply to  Ricksays
1 hour ago

Alston payments and healthcare yup, this is correct. All true points, along with the lease signings. Auburn isn’t the only school needing to cut numbers. It’s unfortunate.

Crooked lane lines
Reply to  Crooked lane lines
1 hour ago

Also…. Auburn obviously way over recruited. He’s healthy and only competed once this season? That’s terrible.

MigBike
2 hours ago

Great that a swimmer is trying to make a positive impact on the roster limit in the SEC. While improbable this will have any impact, one never knows without trying. Well done Mr. RIce.

CModge
Reply to  MigBike
47 seconds ago

Everyone needs to write letters like this! Roster limits are impacting men and women in programs across the country. It’s heartbreaking to see what is happening. 22 in the SEC is deplorable, but people are getting cut outside the SEC as well with roster sizes of 30.

Jimbo
2 hours ago

SEC, it just means more!
Roster cuts in non revenue sports…

T shirts at SEC champs?