Transfer time

[Stanger86]

I get that the optics of asking this question are going to look bad because I'm a fan and graduate of a private school that I'm sure everyone assumes the students of all come from wealthy backgrounds (spoiler alert, we aren't all rich) but, honestly, why hasn't SMSU figured out a way to get more scholarship funding? Men's basketball is clearly one of their most successful sports other than volleyball (to the best of my understanding), so why is it that they can't get alums to put some money towards fully scholarshiping at least the basketball programs?

I still believe a big part of it has to do with not being a very old institution. These things are usually built up when old, wealthy alums pass away. SMSU has only been around since the 1960s. Most of our alums aren't dead yet.

I don't know where we are right now money-wise, but I'd imagine we're not a ton higher than when that chart was published. I do think the program does a good job of using financial aid and academic scholarships to help aid the roster-building process. I think usually only one or two guys at a time on the team are full-ride athletic scholarships.

[MrAugustana]

I still believe a big part of it has to do with not being a very old institution. These things are usually built up when old, wealthy alums pass away. SMSU has only been around since the 1960s. Most of our alums aren't dead yet.

I don't know where we are right now money-wise, but I'd imagine we're not a ton higher than when that chart was published. I do think the program does a good job of using financial aid and academic scholarships to help aid the roster-building process. I think usually only one or two guys at a time on the team are full-ride athletic scholarships.

I had a feeling that would be the case. After I posted my question, I realized that it seems like we have this discussion every few years.

As I think we've discussed in the past, SMSU does at least have the advantage of a local talent pool that can get in-state tuition discounts at a university with comparatively low tuition rates. Currently 15 credits and room and board at SMSU for a full year costs a grand total of $9,058.73 (https://www.smsu.edu/administration/...onfeespayments). And I'm not even sure if that $9,058.73 is the in-state tuition rate or the out-of-state tuition rate.

Meanwhile, Augie's current tuition cost is $44,167 (http://www.augie.edu/admission/finan...-costs-2020-21) per year. And with no state funding for athletics, the Vikings have to raise their own money each year privately, both for their athletic department budgets and their scholarship funding.

Should be interesting to see how long it takes SMSU to make a push to get some of those long-term/high-money givers in place so they can get up to 10 scholarships.

[NSU4LIFE]

thoughts and prayers for your delicate sensibilities

No thanks on the Ts and Ps, doubt they are worth much from you anyways. If cheering for people to reach goals or dreams is delicate then so be it. Life's too short to always be a miserable human being.

[Shanghai Mule]

No thanks on the Ts and Ps, doubt they are worth much from you anyways. If cheering for people to reach goals or dreams is delicate then so be it. Life's too short to always be a miserable human being.

I think I've heard of you.. Aren't you the one they call, Nancy?

[NSU4LIFE]

I think I've heard of you.. Aren't you the one they call, Nancy?

Back in the day that was a solid burn.

[ZubCat81]

Nice little article from NW Trevor Hudgins regarding ESPN NBA draft guru Jonathan Givony contacting him and trying to pin him down for an answer about where he was going to transfer for his final season. God bless Trevor for his reply about the transfer portal madness going on today, and then the reply he offered.

https://www.maryvilleforum.com/sport...b7248f338.html

[Thepeman]

Nice little article from NW Trevor Hudgins regarding ESPN NBA draft guru Jonathan Givony contacting him and trying to pin him down for an answer about where he was going to transfer for his final season. God bless Trevor for his reply about the transfer portal madness going on today, and then the reply he offered.

https://www.maryvilleforum.com/sport...b7248f338.html

That was so refreshing..............met a gentleman at the golf course over the weekend who is now from Hays, KS and he knows Trevor's Mom and he had such praise for her and Trevor. You can tell by his actions on the court what kind of man he is.

[NWFanatic]

[simple as a $3 bill]

Mary losing Cooper Olson, Southwest losing Lance Mosley/

[Mule4ever]

What is the most common reasons for all the transfers. Is it playing time? Are coaches suggesting players leave so younger players can be brought in. Seems like programs are being affected by this more than ever.

[MrAugustana]

What is the most common reasons for all the transfers. Is it playing time? Are coaches suggesting players leave so younger players can be brought in. Seems like programs are being affected by this more than ever.

AAU. Every coach is a "buddy" and kids all get told they're superstars, so they do whatever they want. Then they get to college, their coach yells at them once or they don't get the minutes they got in AAU and they want to be somewhere else where they feel more special.

Also, every AAU coach wants their kids to "go D1" because it makes their program look better when they're getting parents to sign up their kids if they can say "12 kids from our 2019 class ended up at Division I universities, and yours could too!"

I know AAU has positive qualities, but I do think it has led to real issues over the past decade.

[Moorhead123]

AAU. Every coach is a "buddy" and kids all get told they're superstars, so they do whatever they want. Then they get to college, their coach yells at them once or they don't get the minutes they got in AAU and they want to be somewhere else where they feel more special.

Also, every AAU coach wants their kids to "go D1" because it makes their program look better when they're getting parents to sign up their kids if they can say "12 kids from our 2019 class ended up at Division I universities, and yours could too!"

I know AAU has positive qualities, but I do think it has led to real issues over the past decade.

[Btech#3]

I am not in disagreement with anything that has been said with regard to this subject. I do blame some AAU programs but I think the parents are more to blame. Most of the kids that are playing quite a bit and doing well in the NSIC/MIAA (and other top D-2 leagues) had D-1 offers. I think there is very little difference between the top of D-2 and the low to mid-major D-1's. Good parenting and recognizing that having a chance to win and play for something is a a lot more fun than playing at a D-1 and going 11-20 or maybe slipping into the Big Dance but drawing KU of Kentucky in the first round as a 16 seed. Counseling your son or daughter to a path to a better experience is what needs to be done, not bragging to all of your buddies that your son or daughter is "playing D-1". Completely overrated in my opinion. Just my two cents.

[Alfred33]

I feel like a lot of the seniors with the "bonus" year of eligibility are looking to try to make that jump to D1 for one year. Overall, I think most of the kids transferring are looking to better their situation, which could include playing time, getting closer to home, maybe getting away from home, etc. As for D1 sports, I feel like the NCAA opened a can of worms when they lifted the "sit out a year" rule... Allowing kids to do that once in their careers without penalty made it a more attractive offer and I believe what you see in the transfer portal this year will become the new norm. Maybe not to the same extent, but still a prominent part of college athletics. I can also see problems in the future with tampering and recruiting of players that are on other teams... I'm just not sure how I feel about it at this point.

[Thunder]

The amount of transfers has been steadily increasing at the D1 level for years, it has now filtered it's way down to D2. This year was a special case with a lot of factors (COVID, extra year of eligibility, shortened season, etc.). For a lot of kids I think there is a need for the instant gratification. That can mean something different to everyone. Coaches absolutely need to adapt their styles to account for the fact that kids don't have to stay anymore. The days of Bobby Knight are long gone, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Whether it's a possibility for more playing time, a better coach, proximity to home, or something else there are a lot of reasons for kids to transfer. I believe there is something to be said for playing for a program for 4 or 5 years and being a part of that school for life. It's more enjoyable as a fan to cheer for the same guys for 4 years and watch them grow. However, I can't fault someone for trying to improve their situation. If they think there is a better opportunity, who am I to stop them. Although, the grass may not always be greener on the other side.

This issue is only going to escalate at the D2 level. As D1 programs continue to lose players they will look for "veteran" replacements from good D2 programs to fill the void. There will only be a handful each season that are good enough to end up at a place like Kansas or Minnesota, but those schools are more willing to grab an elite D2 player now. The allure of being a "D1" athlete is still strong for a lot of kids, despite the fact that high level D2 is just as good a low level D1. Most D1 programs are also going to be able to offer more scholarship money, better facilities, more academic options, etc. so it makes it hard for D2 programs to keep their stars.

It's going to be a balancing act for D2 coaches to recruit those types of players, knowing you could lose them in a couple years, and players that you can develop over 4 years. The best programs will figure out how to do that. This whole situation makes what NWMS is doing even more impressive. They have at least 4 guys that could make it on a D1 roster, with a couple Power 5 players in there, and they all decided to run it back again next year in Maryville. The article on Trevor Hudgins made me really like him even more (even though he put a dagger in the hearts of every Wolves fan). I love how it never even seemed to cross his mind that he would transfer. Maybe Ben has some sort of hypnosis that he uses on those guys, I don't know.