The transfer portal is one of the more maligned and misunderstood products of the last decade of recruiting.
Players being granted an extra year due to the cancellation of the 2020 season has made the transfer portal even more powerful. College coaches can no longer ignore the talent that is taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility and putting themselves on the market in the portal.
Some programs have truly embraced the portal -- like Jacksonville and Rutgers -- while others have used it sparingly, like the Ivies and the Patriot League, although part of those entities is due to the lack of graduate programs allowing participation in athletics.
The transfer portal is so integral to the success of even the best teams that the trickle-down effect has produced a whole new class of players. The seasoned veteran Division 2 or Division 3 lacrosse player has more value to a program challenging for a conference or national title.
