The transfer portal sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel…but what exactly is it? In short, the portal is a database of every college athlete in the country that has submitted a request to their current university that they are pursuing other schools to further their athletic career. This portal allows colleges and athletes to contact each other without a binding commitment from either party. The transfer portal brings mixed feelings from coaches and players alike, but can be a valuable tool if utilized properly. 

Related: How COVID Has Affected the Transfer Portal

What is the Transfer Portal?

In short, the transfer portal is a database of every college athlete that has an interest in transferring to another collegiate university to further their athletic career. The transfer portal has many moving components, but most importantly, the university in which the athlete is currently attending cannot say no once an athlete submits a transfer request. A transfer request involves simply visiting an athlete's current school's compliance office and informing them of the intention to transfer. Furthermore, the athlete can choose not to transfer to another school in the end and they may remove themselves from the portal at any point before committing to another university. Once in the portal, however, athletes may be contacted by other universities' coaches and their athletic department staff to gauge interest and possibly begin the early stages of the transfer process. 

How Does the Transfer Portal Work?

Once a student-athlete has entered the transfer portal, the athlete's name will show up for other colleges to begin contacting. However, a student-athlete can put a college on their do-not-contact list, meaning they are not interested in the school, so the school should not reach out. Each college's compliance staff within the athletic department and one coach from each sport's staff have access to the transfer portal. Moreover, the contact information for schools listed in the transfer portal is somewhat vague, most of the time. Usually, at least one email for a coach is listed, and sometimes, the email listed for the school is simply a generic one or one for the coaching staff as a whole. Overall, the profile of each school in the transfer portal varies.

What Do Coaches Think?

Coaches have mixed feelings regarding the transfer portal. While some coaches are in favor of it, others find it useless or even problematic, as transferring athletes can mess with their recruiting plans. Due to the increase in modern technology, many times, the news regarding a transfer reaches a coach before a listing in the transfer portal. However, the transfer portal does give the athlete more power in the transfer process, which can be a good thing. 

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In all, the transfer process is a platform that has the potential to benefit both athletes and universities mutually. Even though the transfer portal may provide a greater benefit to the athlete, by placing more of the process in their hands, it does allow for fairness between universities in selecting athletes. This “one-stop shop” where all transfers are listed and are fair game gives the coaches fair ability to communicate with a potential transfer, while following all NCAA guidelines. Overall, the transfer portal, if used correctly, can play a huge role in the makeup of athletic teams across the country. 

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* Originally published on July 12, 2022, by Caleb Myers