The Transfer Window: Winners, Losers, and Teams on the Hot Seat

The inception of the transfer portal has brought a new era of transparency to NCAA, and this offseason has been no exception. With the final wave of COVID years plus Lindenwood being shut down, there was a lot of movement to keep track of. Below, we look at which teams made the most of this window, which fell short, and which we have our eyes on moving forward.

Winners

Former Lindenwood Athletes

Since news broke that Lindenwood would cut its gymnastics program, the gymternet turned to predicting where the athletes would find new homes. Almost all with remaining eligibility decided to transfer, and we’re thrilled they have the chance to end their careers on their own terms.

Missouri

The Tigers want to get back to nationals as a team, and they showed they mean it by adding Lauren MacPherson, Abby Mueller, Elise Tisler, and Amy Wier. With Sienna Schrieber graduating, having new routine options on multiple events gives head coach Shannon Welker the opportunity to mix and match to find the most consistent top six for a chance to lead his team back to nationals.

Florida

Former No. 1 recruit Selena Harris’ dismissal from UCLA came as a shock to most, but choosing Florida as her next destination may have been even more surprising. However, after Achilles injuries to Skye Blakely and Kayla DiCello at the U.S. Olympic Trials, Harris’s arrival becomes critical in replacing those lineup spots.

Central Michigan

The Chippewas have always been in and out of the regionals picture, always sitting around the bubble with potential to do damage as an underdog team. Adding Hannah Appleget, who just won a USAG national championship with Lindenwood, and Heather Parker, who has competitive experience in the SEC, could give Central Michigan the boost it needs to qualify for its first regionals as a team since 2021.

Fisk

The Bulldogs dipped their toes into the portal and came out with two immediate contributors in Madison Benson and Allie Berkley. If Benson is back to her pre-Achilles injury form, she will be a star for Fisk in her fifth year. Plus, Berkley’s consistency on vault should allow her to see regular lineup time.

 

Losers

Nebraska

Losing your second-highest point scorer from 2024 and an Olympian in Csenge Bácskay to Georgia isn’t what head coach Heather Brink and the Huskers needed after a solid few years of rebuilding. Adding Nya Kraus and Reese Baechle from Lindenwood should help soften the blow experience wise, but Bácskay’s scores will be hard to replace right away.

Illinois

After stellar senior seasons, Kaitlyn Ewald and Abby Mueller chose to take their fifth years elsewhere, leaving gaps on multiple events for the Illini. Senior transfer Emmalise Nock from Northern Illinois should be able to match scores on floor exercise, but the team will need to replace the 9.900-plus marks Ewald and Mueller provided, which could prove difficult.

On the Hot Seat

UCLA

Let’s be honest: Losing your team MVP, regardless of the reason behind her dismissal, is a gut punch for any team. After losing an additional depth piece in Alex Irvine, the Bruins find themselves in an interesting position heading into 2025. If Janelle McDonald can find the routines to match Selena Harris’, the Bruins will be in good shape. If not, their struggles could continue into 2025.

Georgia, Washington, and Iowa

Yes, we might be cheating by putting these teams together, but all three are facing a similar situation with new head coaches. Georgia was the only team to add new faces via the transfer portal (so far) with Bácskay and Anaya Smith, so it will be interesting to see how they adjust with the team Ryan Roberts has helped build. Iowa and Washington have yet to show any signs of utilizing the portal, but with Jen Llewellyn and Jessa Hansen Parker at the helm of their respective programs, all eyes will be on them to see how they approach adding to their rosters should they choose to do so.

LIU

Similarly to the Bruins, the Sharks lost their MVP in the offseason after Syd Morris announced their retirement. Head coach Randy Lane brought in Angelina Hogan from Temple and Renee Figueroa from Rutgers, but neither were all-around competitors at their previous schools. The Sharks will have to find a way to replace Morris’ routines—and scores; no easy task.

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Article by Savanna Wellman