Transfer Portal 2026

[robertearle]

A couple new names listed in the portal today, including two from Franklin Pierce - whose names I only recognize because a week ago I was watching them play Quinnipiac here in Madison.

They are definitely NOT grad transfers, and that confuses me. Because the "new" date for the undergrad portal opening is supposedly not until next Monday. Are the rules different for NEWHA schools that would otherwise be DIII schools?

Or is there news of a coaching change for their 14-year long tenured head coach? Heading west, maybe? (Kidding, I'm kidding.)

 

[Still Eeyore]

A couple new names listed in the portal today, including two from Franklin Pierce - whose names I only recognize because a week ago I was watching them play Quinnipiac here in Madison.

They are definitely NOT grad transfers, and that confuses me. Because the "new" date for the undergrad portal opening is supposedly not until next Monday. Are the rules different for NEWHA schools that would otherwise be DIII schools?

Or is there news of a coaching change for their 14-year long tenured head coach? Heading west, maybe? (Kidding, I'm kidding.)

I believe that the citations that the women's transfer portal was altered are incorrect. The men's ice hockey transfer portal opening was moved to the Monday after the NCAA championship game, but the NCAA website says nothing about the women's portal being changed.

Division I Cabinet adopts new transfer windows in several sports - NCAA.org

The Division I Cabinet on Wednesday approved changes to the transfer windows in several sports, including men's and women's basketball, men's wrestling, men's ice

www.ncaa.org

The Cabinet directed the Women's Ice Hockey Committee to consider whether it supports similar changes to the notification-of-transfer process for Division I women's ice hockey student-athletes.

 

[robertearle]

I believe that the citations that the women's transfer portal was altered are incorrect. The men's ice hockey transfer portal opening was moved to the Monday after the NCAA championship game, but the NCAA website says nothing about the women's portal being changed.

Division I Cabinet adopts new transfer windows in several sports - NCAA.org

The Division I Cabinet on Wednesday approved changes to the transfer windows in several sports, including men's and women's basketball, men's wrestling, men's ice

www.ncaa.org

Back a few pages on this thread there was discussion: sometime in January, the Women's Committee did (apparently) "consider" similar changes. I'm not sure what to believe at this point, but this page is says March 23rd.

(Adding, if the undergrad portal did actually open last Monday, either everyone else is as confused as us, or we're in for a REALLY quiet portal season.)

https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/compliance/d1/D1Comp_UndergraduateTransferWindows.pdf

 

[eastcoastgopher]

Everyone who's entered so far falls into one of three categories:
-Grad transfer
-NEWHA
-Merrimack, which had a coaching change

 

[Scott_TG]

A couple new names listed in the portal today, including two from Franklin Pierce - whose names I only recognize because a week ago I was watching them play Quinnipiac here in Madison.

They are definitely NOT grad transfers, and that confuses me. Because the "new" date for the undergrad portal opening is supposedly not until next Monday. Are the rules different for NEWHA schools that would otherwise be DIII schools?

Or is there news of a coaching change for their 14-year long tenured head coach? Heading west, maybe? (Kidding, I'm kidding.)

As I best understand it:

Division II players have to enter the portal, but they do not have the restricted transfer window that Division I players do. Otherwise, the rules mirror Division I.

Through this year, Division III players do not need to be entered into the portal to talk to other schools and have no restricted window; they simply have to fill out the NCAA Self-Release Form and then send one to each school they want to talk to, and have 30 days to communicate freely with the school. The current school does not need notification. If they wanted to continue communicating after the 30 days, they could fill out a new Self-Release, but at that point, they had to notify their current school.

As of the new academic year in August, DIII players can still send Self-Release Forms to have 30 days of open communication with potential destination programs for DIII to DIII transfers, but to continue the process, they must be entered into the portal. Also, to transfer up to DII or DI, DIII players do not get to fill out a Self-Release to talk to those schools and must go to the portal first. Like Division II players, they do not need to wait for the DI window.

Disclaimer: My info is based on watching some videos on recruiting sites and reading through the NCAA legislation memos, apologies if I misinterpreted anything.

 

[robertearle]

As I best understand it:

Division II players have to enter the portal, but they do not have the restricted transfer window that Division I players do. Otherwise, the rules mirror Division I.

Through this year, Division III players do not need to be entered into the portal to talk to other schools and have no restricted window; they simply have to fill out the NCAA Self-Release Form and then send one to each school they want to talk to, and have 30 days to communicate freely with the school. The current school does not need notification. If they wanted to continue communicating after the 30 days, they could fill out a new Self-Release, but at that point, they had to notify their current school.

As of the new academic year in August, DIII players can still send Self-Release Forms to have 30 days of open communication with potential destination programs for DIII to DIII transfers, but to continue the process, they must be entered into the portal. Also, to transfer up to DII or DI, DIII players do not get to fill out a Self-Release to talk to those schools and must go to the portal first. Like Division II players, they do not need to wait for the DI window.

Disclaimer: My info is based on watching some videos on recruiting sites and reading through the NCAA legislation memos, apologies if I misinterpreted anything.

So the question is "does any of that apply to NEWHA schools and athletes?"

I mean, the Franklin Pierce players whose names just showed up in the portal were literally playing in the NCAA DI championship tournament a week ago. to the minute. Can they do that and still use the portal as if they are DII or DIII players?

 

[Scott_TG]

So the question is "does any of that apply to NEWHA schools and athletes?"

I mean, the Franklin Pierce players whose names just showed up in the portal were literally playing in the NCAA DI championship tournament a week ago. to the minute. Can they do that and still use the portal as if they are DII or DIII players?

My understanding is that Division II transfer rules apply to the DII members of the NEWHA (Assumption, Franklin Pierce, Post, St. Anselm and St. Michael's). I think players at SHU, LIU and Stonehill would follow DI rules.

 

[robertearle]

My understanding is that Division II transfer rules apply to the DII members of the NEWHA (Assumption, Franklin Pierce, Post, St. Anselm and St. Michael's). I think players at SHU, LIU and Stonehill would follow DI rules.

Thanks for the answers, but one more question, then the designation of DI vs DII etc. exists at the school level and not the team level? That is and for example, the Franklin Pierce women's hockey team is "DII" because the school is DII, even though they played in the DI championship?

 

[Scott_TG]

Thanks for the answers, but one more question, then the designation of DI vs DII etc. exists at the school level and not the team level? That is and for example, the Franklin Pierce women's hockey team is "DII" because the school is DII, even though they played in the DI championship?

Correct, division is by school not team. Division II women's teams have always been eligible for the D1 championship they just never made it because they didn't have enough of them for an autobid and would never qualify for an at-large. By forming the NEWHA with the three D1 schools, they got access via an autobid.

Division II teams in sports where there is no NCAA Division II Championship offered can compete for the Division I championship, but they follow Division II scholarship rules. Division II allows fewer full-ride athletic scholarships per team, but they use a partial-scholarship model where it can split the full scholarships among the team. The amount varies by sport. NCAA DII women's ice hockey teams can grant up to the equivalent of 18 full-ride scholarships to their school in athletic scholarships. For some reason, Men's DII Ice Hockey can only grant the equivalent of 13.5 full rides. Seems like a Title IX violation but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Maybe we should have a transfer portal for coaches?

 

[Still Eeyore]

NCAA DII women's ice hockey teams can grant up to the equivalent of 18 full-ride scholarships to their school in athletic scholarships. For some reason, Men's DII Ice Hockey can only grant the equivalent of 13.5 full rides. Seems like a Title IX violation but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

No. Title IX is applied across an entire athletic department, not individual sports. There is no requirement that athletes of one gender in a specific sport be treated identically to athletes of the other gender in that sport.

 

[ARM]

That is and for example, the Franklin Pierce women's hockey team is "DII" because the school is DII, even though they played in the DI championship?

Technically, FP played in the National Collegiate championship, as that is what the NCAA has always called their tournament that combines D-I and D-II programs. Unless that changed somewhere over the years, but they still have it that way on their own site here:

NC Women's College Ice Hockey - Home | NCAA.com

The NCAA Women's Ice Hockey NC official home. Get Women's Ice Hockey rankings, news, schedules and championship brackets.

www.ncaa.com

 

[bobthomasiselite]

Correct, division is by school not team. Division II women's teams have always been eligible for the D1 championship they just never made it because they didn't have enough of them for an autobid and would never qualify for an at-large. By forming the NEWHA with the three D1 schools, they got access via an autobid.

Division II teams in sports where there is no NCAA Division II Championship offered can compete for the Division I championship, but they follow Division II scholarship rules. Division II allows fewer full-ride athletic scholarships per team, but they use a partial-scholarship model where it can split the full scholarships among the team. The amount varies by sport. NCAA DII women's ice hockey teams can grant up to the equivalent of 18 full-ride scholarships to their school in athletic scholarships. For some reason, Men's DII Ice Hockey can only grant the equivalent of 13.5 full rides. Seems like a Title IX violation but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So then why wouldn’t you consider bemidji and St. Cloud as d2 since those schools are d2?

There is no such thing as D2 hockey. That’s called club.

 

[BowWowWow]

So then why wouldn’t you consider bemidji and St. Cloud as d2 since those schools are d2?

There is no such thing as D2 hockey. That’s called club.

I'm not sure, but I think that there is an idea that teams like Bemidji and St. Cloud "play up" at DI in the WCHA whereas Franklin Pierce et al. are in a "DI/DII conference" with NEWHA?

 

[BowWowWow]

Tracking down a little more info - Here is what the NEWHA says on their X/twitter profile: "The New England Women's Hockey Alliance is an NCAA National Collegiate women's ice hockey league made up of Division I/II institutions."

Bemidji women's hockey quick facts, meanwhile, says "Affiliation: NCAA Division 1," even if the entire institution is not Division I.

 

[bobthomasiselite]

Tracking down a little more info - Here is what the NEWHA says on their X/twitter profile: "The New England Women's Hockey Alliance is an NCAA National Collegiate women's ice hockey league made up of Division I/II institutions."

Bemidji women's hockey quick facts, meanwhile, says "Affiliation: NCAA Division 1," even if the entire institution is not Division I.

Hockey is the only team on campus that is D1. Like the NEWHC teams.

“The team officially moved to the Division I level in 2019-20 and has established itself as a top contender within the NEWHA conference.” -ESPN

Semantics, but they sure seem D1 to me.

 

[OE2022]

Here is the answer in a nutshell, directly from NCAA. The Transfer portal lists are not official and they do not get their information from the NCAA. The NCAA portal opens on the 23rd. I asked if these players were violating any rules by placing their names or by having their names appear on these third party lists and was told that they are not in violation of any rules. Any player may place their name on these lists and would be in complete compliance as long as they dont receive any offers/ or have communications from coaches until they enter the real portal.

 

[Windchill22]

Here is the answer in a nutshell, directly from NCAA. The Transfer portal lists are not official and they do not get their information from the NCAA. The NCAA portal opens on the 23rd. I asked if these players were violating any rules by placing their names or by having their names appear on these third party lists and was told that they are not in violation of any rules. Any player may place their name on these lists and would be in complete compliance as long as they dont receive any offers/ or have communications from coaches until they enter the real portal.

I wonder where "Gopher Puck Live" and other lists get there data from?

 

[Scott_TG]

Hockey is the only team on campus that is D1. Like the NEWHC teams.

“The team officially moved to the Division I level in 2019-20 and has established itself as a top contender within the NEWHA conference.” -ESPN

Semantics, but they sure seem D1 to me.

The NCAA used to allow DII/DIII schools to designate a program to "play up" to Division 1. These were discontinued in 2011, but programs that were already playing up were grandfathered in if they so chose. I know SUNY Oneonta used to play up to DI in men's soccer, but they declined to continue that, instead competing in the SUNYAC. I believe that Bemidji is a grandfathered "play up" program rather than a DII competing for the DI championship because there is no DII. Someone with more knowledge of their situation might be able to comment.

Bemidji may very well be following DII rules like the NEWHA teams, but because they were in a conference with access to an automatic berth, it wasn't remarked on. Also, DI women's ice hockey used to have the same scholarship limit of 18 until it was raised to match the 26 player roster limit this season. So when they both had the same limit in athletic scholarships and there was no transfer portal DII vs DI hockey was a distinction without much difference; it was a matter of whether a team could get fully funded to make use of the maximum amount of scholarships.

 

[OE2022]

I wonder where "Gopher Puck Live" and other lists get there data from?

The NCAA employee I spoke with was rather indignant that these lists exist. He stated they get their information from twitter and instagram posts, lol, but they were absolutely not privy to the actual player portal.