Entering the transfer portal can be scary for athletes because nothing seems guaranteed. If you decide to transfer, the relationships you have between your teammates and coaches could be in jeopardy, along with things like your scholarship and your place on the team. However, there are also things that your school cannot do which can make your transfer experience easier. 

Important Numbers Know Before Entering the Transfer Portal:

• 54% of athletes reported that they enrolled at a new school
• 41% have not found a new school, are still looking, transferred to a non-NCAA school, or left their sport completely
• 33% of players remain uncertain about their school destination

These numbers come from Sports Illustrated and the NCAA. They are not meant to scare you out of entering the portal, but they do mean that you should always try your best to remain in good contact with your original coaches, as many times, players do not end up finding a school to transfer to. 

What Your School Can Do:

1. Reduce or give away your scholarship

After you enter the transfer portal and your school finds out, your scholarship should stay unchanged for the school year or semester (depending on your scholarship). However, if you decide not to transfer and stay at your original school, your school can lower or even take away your scholarship. It is possible that you could stay at your original school and your scholarship would remain the same, but this depends on your coach and what they want to do with your scholarship. 

2. Give away your spot on the team

Depending on your situation with your coach and the timing of when you enter the transfer portal, your coach might give away your spot on the team. Technically, your coach could do this at any point if they really do not want you on their team, but entering the transfer portal gives them a legitimate reason to find someone else to fill your spot. 

Even if you have a good relationship with your coach, losing you on their team means they need to find another athlete to take your place. Especially if you play an important position or compete in important events, your team will need a replacement. Depending on how long you are in the portal, your coach may or may not have time to find another athlete. 

What Your School Cannot Do:

3. Block you from going to a specific school

Your school might prefer that you don't transfer to certain schools, but they cannot stop you from going to any school. For example, if you transfer to another school that is within the same conference as your original school, you might create some bad blood between you and your teammates and coaches. You are going to be competing against your old school and this might be awkward for you, your teammates, and your coaches. However, if this is your dream school and you want to go there, your previous coaches cannot stop you.

4. Stop you from transferring to any school

Even if your coach really wants you to stay at their school, they have no control over whether or not you enter the transfer portal. Once you request to be entered into the portal at your school's compliance office, the compliance office has 48 hours to add your name and information into the portal. Your coach can share their opinion, but ultimately, they do not have any say over you entering the transfer portal.