NCAA's 1-time transfer rule stalls with presidents, still could be on table in future

North Dakota State athletic director Matt Larsen thinks the NCAA's approval of name, image, likeness compensation will include Bison athletes. Michael Vosburg / Forum Photo Editor

By Jeff Kolpack

April 30, 2020 at 3:03 PM

FARGO — North Dakota State women's basketball transfer Kadie Deaton will most likely have to wait a season before she can make a difference on the floor. Same goes for any other NCAA Division I players transferring to a DI program.

The Division I Board of Directors and Presidential Forum voted against a recommendation to allow players in men's and women's basketball, football, baseball and hockey from being allowed to go from one DI school to another without penalty. The proposal could still pass when the Division I Board of Directors meets in May, but NDSU athletic director Matt Larsen has doubts that will happen.

That would mean Deaton, who played her true freshman season at Northern Colorado, will have to sit out a year. The timing of the legislation, with schools shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, is of particular concern, Larsen said.

"It's not dead yet, but this is a huge step in it not gaining a lot of support," he said. "I think the concern if it did go in effect right away is the timing, especially with the fall season and rosters are set so to speak. I wouldn't say it's 100% dead, but I think it needs more conversation."

Larsen said he figured the one-time transfer allowance would happen early on in the discussions. But movement went the other way with the pandemic plus the NCAA giving approval on Wednesday to the much-talked about name, image, likeness compensation stipulation.

In other words, there's just too much going on in the world right now.

"Those are huge landscape changes to college athletics," Larsen said. "I think both at the same time may not be the best idea."

The name, image, likeness allowance means NDSU athletes can benefit financially from their public status. Larsen believes there will be opportunities, especially Bison football players, given "the passion of the fan base and how supportive the community is."

That doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be seeing quarterback Trey Lance on multiple television commercials promoting various products. There are other ways to benefit other than endorsements such as selling memorabilia, giving lessons or being a social media influencer.

"I think there will be opportunities, but now it will be to what extent and how much?" Larsen said. "Time will tell."

By Jeff Kolpack

Jeff would like to dispel the notion he was around when Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, but he is on his third decade of reporting with Forum Communications. The son of a reporter and an English teacher, and the brother of a reporter, Jeff has worked at the Jamestown Sun, Bismarck Tribune and since 1990 The Forum, where he's covered North Dakota State athletics since 1995.
Jeff has covered all nine of NDSU's Division I FCS national football titles and has written three books: "Horns Up," "North Dakota Tough" and "Covid Kids." He is the radio host of "The Golf Show with Jeff Kolpack" April through August.