College ‘transfer portal’ has athletes moving by the hundreds

Bolden
SHEPHERDSTOWN — Not long ago, college athletes wanting to transfer to another school had to get permission from their current school to talk to another university. If they did change schools, they usually had to sit out one year before becoming eligible.
In the current climate, athletes who have earned a degree can transfer to a new school and immediately be eligible to compete.
Even those with no degree can transfer without seeking permission from their school. If they do transfer from one NCAA Division I school to another NCAA Division I school, they will have to sit out one year before gaining eligibility.
Now in place in the NCAA is the much-used, much talked about “transfer portal.”
An athlete can place his name in the national “transfer portal” and wait for another school to contact him about coming to their school. Most athletes entering the “transfer portal” have already contacted another school or have been contacted by another school about transferring.

West
A few weeks after the 2019 NCAA men’s basketball tournament was won by Virginia, over 700 players had entered their name into the “transfer portal.”
At West Virginia University, the “transfer portal” has been a busy place for its football players.
With a new coach coming in for the 2019 season, a number of athletes have sensed their status is not that of a starter or even a viable candidate for much playing time. A few players were already in troubled by academic problems or off-field problems.
The “transfer portal” became an active location for player announcements.
Three defensive backs — Jordan Adams, Kenny Robinson and Derek Pitts — placed their names in the “transfer portal”. None of those three have a place to go. But they want to leave WVU.

Konate
Wide receivers Marcus Simms and Dillon Spalding put their names in the “portal”. Simms has no confirmed destination, while Spalding is going to James Madison.
Offensive lineman Dontae Angus will be leaving and has no suitor to take him as of now.
The Mountaineers will be getting three player via the “portal.”
Defensive lineman Reuben Jones is coming from Michigan. Wide receiver George Campbell had a career at Florida State that was hampered by injuries. He’s coming to Morgantown. And quarterback Austin Kendall moves to WVU from Oklahoma.
West Virginia’s basketball team had a roster shakeup with four players choosing to leave.
Lamont West and James “Beetle” Bolden have left for other places. Andrew Gordon and Trey Doomes have also left the West Virginia team.
The ongoing saga of Sagaba Konate, who missed the last three months of the 2018-19 season with a problem knee, hasn’t stopped yet.
Konate is not listed on the the team’s 2019-20 roster where 13 other names appear. West Virginia can award 13 scholarships.
The “transfer portal” is going to be a place where many disgruntled players are going to seek refuge. Academic casualties will use it. Athletes without much hope of successfully competing for starting positions or enough playing time will place their name in the “portal.”
Football and basketball rosters will see change — sometimes at an alarming rate.
- West
- Konate