Bus Baker and the NCAA Transfer Portal

RADFORD, Va. - Since the launch of the NCAA transfer portal in 2018, thousands of athletes have entered their names into the portal and changed the direction of their collegiate careers, sometimes for worse. For Bus Baker, the portal was a mixed bag.

Baker ran for Radford University during his freshman and sophomore years and proved to be a very successful addition for the Highlanders, as he garnered All-Conference honors after his second season. Despite his success while at Radford, Baker knew he wanted a change of scenery.

“I wasn’t resentful, but I was frustrated when he told me he wanted to leave,” said Benji Pinckney, a good friend and former teammate of Baker’s. “After a while I understood that his reasons for leaving were bigger than Radford, that’s when I came to terms with and respected his decision.”

“I knew about the transfer portal before I got to Radford. It was not my first choice, and freshman year I already knew that I wanted to find a better fit,” said Baker. “Since my mom had just moved out to Ohio, I knew that I wanted to be closer to her. At the end of sophomore year, there was a little disagreement between the coach and I, and that’s when I decided to transfer.”

Baker transferred to the University of Louisville prior to his junior year in 2021, moving closer to his mom and into a renowned program that he believed gave him a better chance to succeed. Unfortunately, the result of that season was far from ideal.

“I had an absolutely terrible cross country season,” said Baker. “Big schools are lot more intense with bad years and stuff, and at the end of the season I was cut.”

After getting cut, Baker knew it would be a challenge to run again at a four-year institution. The NCAA will allow athletes to transfer between four-year schools only once without being penalized. If they decide to transfer two times, they must sit out an entire year before being able to compete again. Luckily, Baker was able to get a waiver from the NCAA allowing his second transfer to Florida Gulf Coast University, and he incurred no penalty in the process.

“I found a really good program at Louisville the first time I transferred, but I just did not perform the way I needed to,” said Baker. “Because of the transfer portal, I then found a program that I really love at FGCU, and I have performed at my highest level since arriving here.”

Despite his utilization of the transfer portal, Baker understands that there are unintended consequences associated with the process of transferring, especially on coaches and teammates.

“You have got to feel for the coaches,” said Baker. “I could definitely tell that I hurt the feelings of my coaches at Radford when I first transferred and it was a tough decision for me, but I think my situation now is a much better fit.”

“I think the transfer portal allows for players to have more control over their own athletic careers,” said Adam Downs, Baker’s former teammate. “It really changed the culture of the whole team when he left, though. I was really sad to see him go.”

Baker’s career is a great example of the power that the transfer portal holds, allowing some to thrive in new environments that may have been inaccessible to them only one decade ago. However, he only recommends using it if you want to transfer for the right reasons.

“Some of the people using the transfer portal are just trying to join big programs and get their name out there,” said Baker. “I would definitely recommend using the transfer portal for anyone who isn’t happy with their situation and thinks they can perform better under another coach or program, but I think that too many people are leaving for the wrong reasons.”

The NCAA transfer portal has had a drastic and lasting effect on the world of collegiate athletics in its short existence, and it seems destined to continue that legacy for many decades to come.