NCAA finalist Jaydin Eierman of Iowa (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Lately on InterMat, we've talked a lot about transfers. We've run an updated transfer tracker every two weeks so that fans can keep up with all of the movement on the DI level. With the advent of the transfer portal, the process has never been easier and every couple of days, it seems like another notable name has been added.
Now there are plenty of reasons for a student-athlete to transfer; disagreements with the staff, a new coaching staff in place, to get a graduate degree not offered at your previous school, your program has been dropped, get closer to home, studs ahead of them on the depth chart, moving up from the junior college/community college level, or to work with new coaches are some of the most common reasons. We're not necessarily discussing why a wrestler may transfer today, more of analyzing their performances after transferring and comparing it to their previous stop.
In 2021, 45 of the 330 NCAA qualifiers (13.6%) had previously transferred at least once during their collegiate careers. Below you'll find all 45 along with information from their initial stop, along with their new location.
Is this a "be-all, end-all" on the success of transferring? Of course not. Getting to the NCAA Tournament is considered a success for the bulk of the wrestlers competing. There are plenty of competitors that aren't able to crack the starting lineup, much less qualify for nationals after transferring, so keep that in mind before drawing any conclusions.
Each wrestler is listed alphabetically, by weight, with the current school listed first, followed by their former team.
125
Killian Cardinale (West Virginia/Old Dominion)
Before Transfer: 38-26 at Old Dominion; 2020 NCAA Qualifier, #15 Seed, MAC Runner-Up
Post Transfer: 17-6 at West Virginia; 2021 NCAA 7th Place, #17 Seed, Big 12 3rd
Liam Cronin (Nebraska/Indiana)
Before Transfer: 54-45 at Indiana; 2020 NCAA Qualifier, #22 Seed, Big Ten 5th
Post Transfer: 10-5 at Nebraska; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #13 Seed, At-Large Berth
Zurich Storm (Campbell/NC State)
Before Transfer: 16-6 at NC State
Post Transfer: 15-10 at Campbell; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #29 Seed, At-Large Berth
Brody Teske (Northern Iowa/Penn State)
Before Transfer: Redshirted at Penn State
Post Transfer: 19-5 at Northern Iowa; 2021 NCAA Round of 12, #5 Seed, Big 12 Champ
Danny Vega (South Dakota State/Iowa State)
Before Transfer: Redshirted at Iowa State
Post Transfer: 39-18 at South Dakota State; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #22 Seed, Big 12 4th
133
Paul Bianchi (Little Rock/North Dakota State)
Before Transfer: 27-21 at North Dakota State; 2018 NCAA Qualifier, Unseeded, Big 12 7th
Post Transfer: 23-14 at Little Rock; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #29 Seed, At-Large Berth
Austin DeSanto (Iowa/Drexel)
Before Transfer: 30-7 at Drexel; 2018 NCAA Round of 12, #7 Seed, EIWA 3rd
Post Transfer: 52-12 at Iowa; 2x NCAA All-American (3rd, 5th), Big Ten Runner-Up
Boo Dryden (Minnesota/NE Oklahoma)
Before Transfer: 79-9 at NE Oklahoma; 2019 NJCAA National Champion
After Transfer: 19-16 at Minnesota; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #23 Seed, Big Ten 8th
Michael McGee (Arizona State/Old Dominion)
Before Transfer: 60-16 at Old Dominion; 2019 NCAA Round of 12, 2019 #12 Seed, 2x MAC Champion
After Transfer: 13-4 at Arizona State; 2021 NCAA 6th Place, #9 Seed, At-Large Berth
Korbin Myers (Virginia Tech/Edinboro)
Before Transfer: 58-23 at Edinboro; 2x NCAA Qualifier, 2x EWL Champion
After Transfer: 32-12 at Virginia Tech; 2021 NCAA 4th Place, 2x NCAA Qualifier, 2021 #3 Seed, ACC Champion
Micky Phillipi (Pittsburgh/Virginia)
Before Transfer: Redshirted at Virginia
After Transfer: 56-7 at Pittsburgh; 3x NCAA Qualifier, 2x NCAA Round of 12, 2x NCAA #4 Seed, 2x ACC Champion
Matt Schmitt (Missouri/West Virginia)
Before Transfer: 41-22 at West Virginia; 2x NCAA Qualifier, 2019 #16 Seed, 2x Big 12 4th
After Transfer: 12-3 at Missouri, 2021 NCAA Round of 12, #6 Seed, MAC Champion
Ty Smith (Utah Valley/Drexel)
Before Transfer: 8-4 at Drexel
After Transfer: 8-7 at Utah Valley, 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #28 Seed, At-Large Berth
141
Jaydin Eierman (Iowa/Missouri)
Before Transfer: 91-14 at Missouri; 3x All-American (3rd, 4th, 5th), 3x MAC Champion
After Transfer: 12-1 at Iowa; 2021 NCAA Runner-Up, #1 Seed, Big Ten Champion
DJ Lloren (Fresno State/Utah Valley)
Before Transfer: 19-18 at Utah Valley
After Transfer: 35-10 at Fresno State; 2x NCAA Qualifier, #13 Seed, Big 12 3rd
Sebastian Rivera (Rutgers/Northwestern)
Before Transfer: 74-12 at Northwestern; 2x NCAA All-American (6th, 3rd), #1 Seed, Big Ten Champion
After Transfer: 12-3 at Rutgers; 2021 NCAA 4th, #3 Seed, Big Ten 3rd
Vinny Vespa (Hofstra/US Military Academy Prep School)
Before Transfer: 5-8 at USMAPS
After Transfer: 40-55 at Hofstra; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #33 Seed, EIWA 5th
149
Michael Blockhus (Minnesota/Northern Iowa)
Before Transfer: 22-10 at Northern Iowa; NCAA Qualifier, #13 Seed, Big 12 5th
After Transfer: 9-8 at Minnesota; NCAA Qualifier, #14 Seed, Big Ten 4th
Jarrett Degen (Iowa State/Virginia Tech)
Before Transfer: Redshirted at Virginia Tech
After Transfer: 74-28 at Iowa State; 4x NCAA Qualifier, 2019 NCAA 7th, 2x #8 Seed, Big 12 2nd
Greg Gaxiola (Hofstra/Fresno State/Cal Baptist)
Before Transfer: 54-37 at Fresno State and Cal Baptist; 2020 NCAA Qualifier, #32 Seed, Big 12 5th
After Transfer: 6-5 at Hofstra; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #32 Seed, EIWA 4th
Mitch Moore (Oklahoma/Virginia Tech)
Before Transfer: 37-17 at Virginia Tech; 2x NCAA Qualifier, #18 Seed, ACC Runner-Up
After Transfer: 12-6 at Oklahoma; 2021 NCAA Round of 12, #13 Seed, Big 12 Runner-Up
Marcus Robinson (Cleveland State/Buffalo)
Before Transfer: 18-12 at Buffalo
After Transfer: 8-6 at Cleveland State; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #30 Seed, EWL Runner-Up
157
Jesse Dellavecchia (Rider/Binghamton)
Before Transfer: 15-9 at Binghamton
After Transfer: 67-10 at Rider; 3x NCAA Qualifier, 2021 NCAA Runner-Up, 2x #4 Seed, 2x MAC Champ
Parker Kropman (Drexel/Binghamton)
Before Transfer: 19-12 at Binghamton
After Transfer: 28-23 at Drexel; 2x NCAA Qualifier, #25 Seed, EIWA 5th
Nick Palumbo (Sacred Heart/Buffalo)
Before Transfer: 13-21 at Buffalo
After Transfer: 18-13 at Sacred Heart; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #24 Seed, EIWA Runner-Up
Jacob Wright (Wyoming/Fresno State)
Before Transfer: 53-20 at Fresno State; 2020 NCAA Qualifier, #25 Seed, Big 12 5th
After Transfer: 18-6 at Wyoming; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #23 Seed, At-Large Berth
165
Alex Cramer (Central Michigan/Old Dominion)
Before Transfer: 18-18 at Old Dominion
After Transfer: 7-4 at Central Michigan; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, At-Large Berth
Jake Silverstein (Rider/Nebraska)
Before Transfer: 9-7 at Nebraska
After Transfer: 9-5 at Rider; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #27 Seed, At-Large Berth
Luke Weber (North Dakota State/Nebraska)
Before Transfer: 20-6 at Nebraska
After Transfer: 41-22 at North Dakota State; 2021 NCAA Round of 12, #9 Seed, Big 12 Champ
174
Jackson Hemauer (Northern Colorado/Fresno State)
Before Transfer: 33-21 at Fresno State; 2019 NCAA Qualifier, #23 Seed, Big 12 5th
After Transfer: 10-4 at Northern Colorado; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #13 Seed, Big 12 Runner-Up
Mason Kauffman (Northern Illinois/Eastern Michigan)
Before Transfer: Redshirted at Eastern Michigan
After Transfer: 40-32 at Northern Illinois; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #22 Seed, At-Large Berth
Demetrius Romero (Utah Valley/Boise State)
Before Transfer: 21-16 at Boise State
After Transfer: 75-16 at Utah Valley; 2021 NCAA 6th Place, #2 Seed, 2x Big 12 Champion
184
Joe Accousti (Sacred Heart/Appalachian State)
Before Transfer: 32-18 at Appalachian State
After Transfer: 19-18 at Sacred Heart; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #33 Seed, EIWA 6th Place
Alan Clothier (Northern Colorado/Appalachian State)
Before Transfer: 46-25 at Appalachian State; 2018 NCAA Qualifier, SoCon Runner-Up
After Transfer: 36-13 at Northern Colorado; 2x NCAA Qualifier, #18 Seed, 2x Big 12 4th
Dakota Geer (Oklahoma State/Edinboro)
Before Transfer: 31-10 at Edinboro; 2017 NCAA Qualifier, #14 Seed, EWL Champ
After Transfer: 75-20 at Oklahoma State; 2x NCAA All-American (7th, 5th), 3x Big 12 3rd
Ryan Reyes (Oregon State/Fresno State)
Before Transfer: 5-7 at Fresno State
After Transfer: 7-6 at Oregon State; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #31 Seed, At-Large Berth
Charles Small (Hofstra/NW Kansas Tech/Notre Dame)
Before Transfer: 34-12 at NW Kansas Tech; 2019 NJCAA National Champion
After Transfer: 19-20 at Hofstra; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #23 Seed, EIWA 3rd
Matthew Waddell (Chattanooga/Oklahoma)
Before Transfer: 8-21 at Oklahoma
After Transfer: 33-15 at Chattanooga; 2x NCAA Qualifier, #20 Seed, 2x SoCon Runner-Up
Owen Webster (Minnesota/Augsburg)
Before Transfer: NCAA DIII All-American (3rd) at Augsburg
After Transfer: 28-31 at Minnesota; 2x NCAA Qualifier, Round of 12, #17 Seed, Big Ten 8th
Chris Weiler (Wisconsin/Lehigh)
Before Transfer: 55-29 at Lehigh; 2x NCAA Qualifier, Round of 12, #13 Seed, EIWA Runner-Up
After Transfer: 6-6 at Wisconsin; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #13 Seed, Big Ten 5th
197
Owen Pentz (North Dakota State/Fresno State)
Before Transfer: Did not compete at Fresno State
After Transfer: 9-6 at North Dakota State; 2021 NCAA Qualifier, #31 Seed, At-Large Berth
285
Brian Andrews (Wyoming/NE Oklahoma)
Before Transfer: 43-5 at NE Oklahoma; 2018 NJCAA National 3rd
After Transfer: 73-25 at Wyoming; 3x NCAA Qualifier, 2x #13 Seed, Big 12 Champ
Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State/Ohio State)
Before Transfer: Redshirted at Ohio State
After Transfer: 10-4 at Penn State; 2021 7th Place, #9 Seed, Big Ten 4th
Zachary Knighton-Ward (Hofstra/Nassau CC)
Before Transfer: 24-4 at Nassau CC
After Transfer: 31-19 at Hofstra; 2x NCAA Qualifier, #27 Seed, EIWA 3rd
Tate Orndorff (Ohio State/Utah Valley)
Before Transfer: 45-13 at Utah Valley; 2x NCAA Qualifier, #8 Seed, Big 12 3rd
After Transfer: 11-11 at Ohio State; 2021 NCAA 8th, #21 Seed, Big Ten 6th
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