Hailey Van Lith was a year from attachment to an arc on a traditional university career in Louisville and was cemented as one of the most decorated beginners of the history of the cardinals. She had just led her team to her third consecutive appearance Elite Eight and made high -level numbers, including 19.7 points per game.
But the senior amount of Wenatchee, Washington, had other plans. With WNBA Aspirations In his mind, Van Lith exchanged Louisville Red for Lsu Purple and Gold and embarked on a new trip to Baton Rouge. Her only season included another race for Elite Eight and she was back at the transfer portal.
The coach style offensive Mark Campbell drew his attention, and she decided that her fifth and last year of eligibility would have gone to TCU.
University sports were formerly rooted in tradition, school pride and loyalty, but these expectations change if not fade in a landscape where athletes have won the ability to transfer from season to season, from year to year. Some are painted as unfair or selfish but Van lith And others do not see this in this way.
“Whenever you transfer, you are still waiting for a hindsight,” Van Lith told the Associated Press. “I cannot tell you how many podcasts I have seen on people discussing my choices to go to this school and this school, and the theories that are thrown are all false. But it’s just, you learn to live in harmony with this, and at the end of the day, I just decided that I no longer leave false hypotheses to undress my peace.”
One of the biggest false ideas, said Van Lith, is that his transfer decisions have been guided by zero compensation. She was able to look at the accusations beyond being a “silver hunter” or a “trophy hunter” and find comfort knowing that the spectators did not have the complete image.
“Multiple of schools in which I went, I have never received a check,” she said. “I think that in the culture of transfer now, many people automatically assume that it has to do with collective money or now I suppose it is a share of income. But it simply depends on the person, and for me, these are all basketball decisions. ”
A level of level
Ann Skeet, principal director of leadership ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics of Santa Clara, said that all parties should be held to the same standards. Coaches and sports directors occupy new jobs, sailing on buyouts and patients along the way.
“I think that one of the realities of sport these days is that people make changes more often than before,” said Skeet. “How they communicate their decision, how long they give people, how often they change their team, all these things should be taken into account, and I think it is fair to hold coaches and players to equal standards.”
Skeet has recognized the pressure on athletes who sail in a new professional industry at a young age. Millions of dollars of names, image and compensation for resemblance already flows before even schools begin to reduce checks after July 1 under NCAA antitrust regulations.
“The reality is that Nile launches pressures on the university sports market in a way that we have not known before, and therefore the players must therefore compromise and reflect on what serves their own personal interests in relation to what serves the team in a way that they have not had to consider in the past,” she said.
Complicated decisions
While Van Lith decided on his future, Ray Davis was waiting for hers. In his only season in Kentucky, Davis rushed to 1,129 yards in 199 races and led the dry with 21 touchdown. Its production was sufficient to arouse the interest of NFL scouts.
Similar to Van Lith, the winding road from Davis to Pros involved several stops. Before the Kentucky, he had two years in Temple (2019-2021) and Vanderbilt (2021-2023). The transfer to Kentucky meant that Davis would be suitable for his third team in five years, and he knew that going from one school from dry to the other could stir the pot. The decision was not easy.
“It was super difficult,” said Davis. “It took days, literally almost weeks to really make a decision. And when I made the decision, I just had to live with it. I couldn’t think about it twice. I had to be confident.”
The move paid. Davis drew national attention and was selected by the Buffalo bills In the fourth round of the 2024 draft. But while its drawing stock has skyrocketed, the transfer of transfer a second time has wreaked havoc.
“Mentally, it fears because, you know, as a child when you are 18, 19 or other, we tell you:” Hey, he leaves because he is unfair “, and that’s not what it is,” said Davis.
He focused on what he could control.
“I think it’s really on how you manage it yourself, how you internalize it yourself and how you go to the building every day. If you say to yourself: “Ah, people look at me as if you are not an honest and unfair person”, then that will hurt you mentally.
The impacts
Transfer decisions, whatever the underlying factor, can lead to unfavorable public perceptions – or worse. A 2024 Study found a cross section of abusive content Led to university athletes on social networks.
“It is certainly their right to transfer, but they will also develop the reputation they develop following the choices they make. Thus, people who transfer several times will be identified in this way,” said Skeet. “It goes with the territory, as they say.”
Van Lith and Davis both noted the irony of receiving a flame return when team staff can search for new companies without repercussions.
“The coaches leave. The directors leave. Everyone has the opportunity to leave. So for the players, we must also have this opportunity,” said Davis.
Van Lith added: “Often, loyalty is placed on the players’ responsibility, but you see coaches going all the time to improve their financial situation, earn more money, do better for their family. When people talk about loyalty, I really challenge them to put into perspective, if they feel the same if a coach is gone.”
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AP University Sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports