COVID has proven to affect the world a tremendous amount, and continues to do so in the realm of college athletics. With the halt of college sports in the 2019 Spring and 2020 Fall school semesters, the NCAA granted athletes in college at that time an extra year of eligibility to participate in their sports. This is referred to as their COVID Year.

Related: 5 Transfer Portal Tips

Saturating the Transfer Portal
The addition of an extra year has been an amazing opportunity for athletes to continue their education and sport. With this extra year, current college athletes have the ability to transfer to another institution, making the transfer portal extremely saturated. There are a lot more athletes in the portal compared to pre-COVID. This saturation can create stress on high school athletes getting recruited and on athletes going into the transfer portal.  

The Transfer Process
The transfer process as a whole has changed due to COVID and the resulting amount of athletes looking to transfer. Because of this saturation, it's important that athletes are setting themselves up for success:

• Going into the portal as early as possible will give you as many opportunities as possible. The later you wait, the more likely the coach will have maxed out their roster or scholarship money. 
• When deciding when to go into the portal, it's crucial to have an open conversation with your current coach to ensure that you are aware of the coach's conditions regarding athletes in the portal (ie. if they will allow an athlete to continue participating with the team). This conversation is also important to maintain a relationship with the current coach; prospective coaches will reach out to head coaches to learn about you and what you can offer. 
• Since the transfer portal is so dense with athletes, be prepared with a list of schools and expectations – academically and athletically – you have. This will set you apart when talking with coaches. 
• It's important to contact coaches first to ensure that they know you're interested in their program and school. Similar to the initial recruiting process, take the initiative to show interest to the coach to set yourself up for success. 

Related: Rate your Coaches, Facilities, and Campus Visits!

Affect on High School Athletes
The portal saturation has also affected high school athletes. Many college coaches see the transfer portal as an opportunity to obtain an athlete who already has experience in college, not only as an athlete, but also as a student. With the return of existing players and addition of transfers, teams have seen an increase in their roster size, but due to NCAA regulations, programs still have the same amount of scholarship money. This means that instead of a senior class graduating and opening up roster spots, there is a whole cohort of athletes who are taking their extra year. No graduates = no new roster spots. For high school athletes, continue to have an open mind during the recruiting process and stick to what you want and need in a school and athletic program. 

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* Originally published on January 17, 2022, by Andrea Leitner