Every Big Ten Roster Lists a D-III Transfer

All 18 member schools of the Big Ten Conference now list at least one Division III transfer on at least one athletic roster. The statistical shift marks a change in how top-tier college programs source talent from the non-scholarship level of college athletics. The trend is no longer limited to individual standout cases but now represents a baseline composition of conference rosters.

McKena Ramos, a track and cross-country athlete, exemplifies the movement. He arrived at UW-Oshkosh as a recruit but exceeded initial expectations. Eamon McKenna, the track and cross-country coach at Oshkosh, stated that the coaching staff did not anticipate Ramos winning a national championship as a freshman. "We knew he was good and we knew he was a little bit under the radar," McKenna said. Ramos set a personal condition before the indoor national meet: winning a title would trigger a review of his division. He won the indoor 800-meter title and the outdoor 1500-meter title, then transferred to UW-Madison.

Ramos, a senior from Sheboygan, now competes for the Badgers. He attributes his improved times to the increased intensity of Division I competition. "The biggest difference athletically is the competition level; everyone is on your level and up," Ramos said. He also cited the travel schedule and access to high-stage competitions as major draws. Two Badger football players have made similar transitions. Ricky Finco, a junior wide receiver who primarily plays on the scout team, transferred from UW-Whitewater. Ryan Ramczyk, an offensive lineman, posted an All-American season in Madison after a dominant period at UW-Stevens Point, improving his standing on NFL Draft boards.

The move to Division I is not universally successful. Emma Paulson swam for UW-Madison during her freshman season before concluding the level was not the right fit. She transferred to the University of St. Thomas, a Division III institution in Minnesota. Paulson finished her career at St. Thomas with three individual national championships and nine individual All-American designations. She noted that her swim times matched Division I standards, but the cultural environment aligned with Division III. "Swimming DI, it kind of takes over your life in a sense, but DIII [is] just a part of your life," Paulson said.

Resource disparities drive many of the decisions. Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships and generally maintain smaller facilities than their Division I counterparts. Ramos noted that while running workouts remain similar, UW-Madison provides athletic training facilities such as ice baths that Oshkosh lacks. He also credited tutoring at the Fetzer Center and the ability to take exams while traveling for his academic success. Conversely, Paulson reported that she is held to the same academic standards as non-athletes at St. Thomas, with no designated academic services for student-athletes.

Both athletes indicated they would repeat their choices. Ramos stated that competing for Madison had been his dream since middle school. McKenna offered cautious advice to other athletes in similar positions. "If you stand out in DIII, you're going to have opportunities," McKenna said. He added that the critical question for any athlete considering the jump is whether they can replace the factors that made them dominant at their current school.