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Yes, the roster is set once the school year starts. Still subject to the transfer rules and academic requirements. Of course coaches can change line-ups within those 20 spots during the season, but they cant go "find" a vaulter mid-season. In the broader sense of gymnasts, it will be good, because they have more scholarships. But no doubt, it still favors the big schools that can afford to have 20 scholarships.Is the roster set in stone at the beginning of the year? If you have an injury, are you allowed to bring in a replacement? Could coaches change the roster every week to focus on who is doing best?
I'll be honest, I don't know much about the whole thing to have an informed opinion, but I did not like richer schools being able to pay "walk-on" athletes what amounted to scholarships. Sure, it might be the only way single event gymnasts get a paid education, but it also feels unfair if a school like LSU can pay for a team of 50 gymnasts in their state-of-the-art training facility and a smaller school in a rented gym or whatever has to rely on 12 gymnasts week in and out.
This is where things get interesting. I have not been able to confirm if walk-ons have been eliminated, but the NIL "scholarship" will probably be eliminated. This is because, prior settlement world, NIL was delivered in 2 ways. The first way, was the way most folks generally think about NIL in that an athlete can go out and get $100 or a free meal from a local business for making a post on social media (or a signing, but you get the idea). The second way which was the source of the NIL "scholarship" which involved the universities affiliated (very important distinction) collective. These collectives pooled alumni donations and other funding sources and offered athletes some set payment to compete for the university in return for them doing some trivial activities, like a fan fest, or signing or even volunteering. But it is through these that you see the large multi-million dollar payments to football stars. In gymnastics some of the larger schools ala LSU, have collectives that actually have a chunk of funds earmarked for them. So this is how that were able to bring graduate transfers and provide money.But the schools that can't afford 20 scholarships can still fill in with walk-ons? Who could also still have their schooling paid for by NIL?
(It does kinda suck about injury not allowing for adjustments to the roster unless you convince the injured gymnast(s) to transfer. But maybe that will help coaches see their athletes are not disposable.