Every Big Ten roster includes at least one Division III transfer

All 18 Big Ten member schools now list at least one athlete who transferred from a Division III program.

McKena Ramos, a senior track and cross-country runner from Sheboygan, exemplifies this trend. Ramos arrived at UW-Oshkosh as a recruited recruit, but his coaches did not anticipate his rapid success. Eamon McKenna, the head coach at UW-Oshkosh, noted that the team knew Ramos was talented but considered him under the radar. Ramos won the indoor 800-meter title and the outdoor 1500-meter title in a single season, becoming a five-time All-American and two-time national champion. He had privately agreed with himself that winning a freshman national title would justify moving up to Division I.

Ramos transferred to UW-Madison, where he has competed on both track and cross-country teams. He attributes his improved times to the higher level of competition and the intensity of the environment. He stated that everyone in the Big Ten is on his level or above. The opportunity to compete on the national stage and the travel schedule also factored into his decision.

Ramos is not the only Badger to make the jump. Football wide receiver Ricky Finco transferred to Madison after a season at UW-Whitewater. He is a junior who primarily plays on the scout team. Offensive lineman Ryan Ramczyk also moved from UW-Stevens Point to UW-Madison. Ramczyk had an All-American season in Madison that increased his visibility on NFL draft boards.

The transition is not always positive for every athlete. Emma Paulson swam for UW-Madison during her freshman year but found the top-level college competition unsuitable. She transferred to the University of St. Thomas, a Division III school in Minnesota. Paulson won three individual national championships and earned nine individual All-American designations at St. Thomas. She explained that her times met Division I standards, but the culture fit her lifestyle better. She described Division I swimming as taking over her life, while Division III is just a part of it.

Resources differ between the two divisions. Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships, and their facilities are generally smaller. Madison provides athletic training facilities such as ice baths that were absent at Oshkosh. Ramos also cited academic support, including tutoring at the Fetzer Center and the ability to take exams while traveling, as reasons for his success. Paulson, however, noted that she has no designated academic services at St. Thomas and is held to the same standards as non-athletes.

Both Ramos and Paulson said they would make the same choice again. McKenna advised athletes to consider whether they can replace the dominance they achieved at their current school when moving up.