In the Portal: How College Athletes Navigate a Changing System

Liam Doyle, 2024 (Ole Miss Athletics photo)

By Jake Mckeever

College sports have long permitted athletes to transfer, so the process facilitated by the NCAA transfer portal is not entirely new. What has changed, however, is the transparency and structure it provides. For 2025, the portal officially opens on June 2 for all non-graduates. Already, several notable names have entered, continuing a trend that annually generates both intrigue and confusion.

Graduates who are no longer part of their institution’s roster are permitted to enter the portal at any time, regardless of transfer windows. A notable case is Texas A&M’s Wyatt Hensler, who entered the portal in the summer of 2023 before officially enrolling in the fall of 2024.

Within the Ivy League, policies regarding graduate student-athletes remain especially stringent. The conference prohibits athletes from participating in varsity sports while enrolled in a graduate program. Some other institutions have chosen to uphold similar academic standards, often resulting in redshirt athletes being compelled to enter the portal due to eligibility limitations.

Moreover, NCAA regulations grant student-athletes a 30-day window to enter the portal if their head coach is dismissed during the season, regardless of whether the standard window for their sport is open. A recent example is UIW, where the mid-season firing of Ryan Shotzberger led to several players entering the portal under this exception. You may also recall Jim Schlossnaggle leaving for Texas. His departure allowed his players to enter the portal, despite the window being closed.

It is also important to note that entry into the transfer portal does not necessarily signify a permanent departure. Numerous athletes re-commit to their original programs after exploring other options, underscoring the portal’s role as a mechanism for exploration rather than a point of no return.

Finally, academic policies vary significantly by institution. Some, like Vanderbilt, maintain rigorous academic expectations even within athletics. For example, Vanderbilt requires prospective junior transfers to already possess a degree, a stipulation that—while admirable in principle—can become a competitive disadvantage.

Ultimately, the NCAA transfer portal reflects the broader balancing act facing college athletics today: honoring tradition while adapting to a changing landscape. As institutions wrestle with the demands of competitive success, academic rigor, and athlete empowerment, the portal serves as both a symbol and a tool of that transformation. Its growing influence invites not only strategic recalibration from programs and players alike, but also a deeper examination of how we define opportunity, loyalty, and fairness in collegiate sports.

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