Sudden Imapct

As I was doing the Top 25, I always worry about the unknown. Specifically, the Super Seniors and the rare instance of a DI player transferring to a DIII school. Both can have huge impacts to a program. On my 2023 Recruits page, I attempt to note transfers, but I came across a site that does me one better. They track the DI transfers (and other levels) and they actually have a page that includes DIII schools so I thought it was worth a look. Here is their IG link, which will get you to the spreadsheet they maintain.

Since I have a source of new data, I thought I would write about the nine (so far) DI transfers coming to DIII nationally. They also have a page with Non-DI players transferring if you want to check that out. Right now, in Region X, I have listed 21 transfers from all levels going to one of our programs on my recruit page. I’m sure that’s not a complete list. Two of those transfers are from DI and I’ll discuss them more below. Looping back to my Top 25 rankings, I mentioned that there was a rumor that Hope was getting two DI transfers but I could only find one right now. Not sure it would have changed my placement as she’s pretty good.

• Kate Ayre 6’2” Middle/Oppo (Virginia Wesleyan from Juniata from Old Dominion) VIDEO

Good one to start with because when I saw the entry it was listed as Juniata. Diving down into rosters and the like, however, I didn’t see her listed (any longer) with Juniata. It appears, maybe, that was her initial choice before settling on Virginia Wesleyan. Another odd item is that she doesn’t appear on the Old Dominion site. Some schools can be really petty and remove players that leave their program and that might be the case here. She is mentioned in articles but she may have redshirted and then was removed from the 2022 roster. She accumulated no statistics last year as far as I can tell. I do have a video of her linked above and she looks like she could be a very dominating player for Virginia Wesleyan and I can see why Juniata would want her.

• Ellie Benedict 5’8” Libero/DS (Ithaca from Albany) VIDEO

Athletically Ellie is a sophomore but is a junior academically. She missed 2022 with an injury and no telling how that will impact her playing career moving forward. She did get into 20 matches her first year at Albany and looks to be able to help defensively as well as being a strong server. I always struggle with the impact of liberos and defensive specialists but there can be no doubt that, if healthy, she’ll be a strong addition to the Bombers’ back row.

• Kennedy Beatty 5’1” Libero/DS (Transylvania from Coppin State) VIDEO

One common thread with most DI transfers to DIII is that they come home. I know lots of college students like the idea of moving away from home but sometimes that’s not the best outcome. That is the case with Kennedy who had a really good first-year with Coppin State. She played in every match and finished 5^th in digs and fourth in aces. No doubt she will improve an already really good Transy back line. I had them 6^th in my Top 25 right behind Hope but I’d probably move them ahead of them with this new information.

• Jaya Bhagat 5’11” Outside/Oppo (Emory from Marist) VIDEO

Jaya only got into 12 total matches over her first two years at Marist and just didn’t get the court time to prove herself there. A lot of volleyball people believe that DI or DII is always better than DIII but this is just not the case. There is a lot of overlap between the three divisions and Emory is one of the best programs DIII has to offer. They are simply better than a lot of DI programs. (Don’t @ me. There are a ton of bad DI programs.) With that said, it will be interesting to see the contribution Jaya can provide coming to one of the better programs that is returning most of their players. She will help, no doubt, but there is a lot of returning talent at the pins for the Eagles.

• Elise Curtin 6’4” Middle/Oppo (NYU from Brown) VIDEO (But from 5-years ago)

A graduate transfer that really didn’t get to play much for Brown. She played in 17 sets her final year there but did hit 0.390 (20 kills, 4 errors in 41 attacks). NYU likes their tall players and I was unsure of the status of one of their middles so there could be an opportunity for Elise to make an impact. Still, NYU is a top DIII program and like Jaya at Emory, Elise will face some good competition. Interestingly, she does have two years of eligibility left despite having graduated from Brown. Another interesting fact is that she played with her twin, Audra, who will not be pursing volleyball.

• Erin Fagan 5’10” Outside/DS (Puget Sound from Seattle) VIDEO

One of the things I love about Puget Sound Head Coach Mark Massey is that he is opinionated. That can be about life in general or his volleyball team. I’m sure if I asked him about Erin, he would say that she is the greatest player in the history of volleyball (men’s or women’s), but let me just check on this. Erin played just one year at Seattle getting into only 6 sets (both at the end of the year) finishing with 10 kills. Her video looks pretty good and Coach Massey likes to run different lineups during the year so you’ll always get a chance as a Logger to impress. The team is also losing an outside so the potential for Erin to make a big impact is there. A much-needed shot to the arm for the co-defending NWC champions.

• Sydney Luchs 6’2” Middle (Cal Lutheran from Hartford) VIDEO

Hartford decided to go from DI to DIII much to the disappointment of their student population and alumni but it doesn’t look like Sydney is going to stick around and instead is coming back closer to home. She got a taste of the court in her first year getting in 35 sets (18 kills and 10 total blocks). Cal Lutheran is losing their big time middle in Maci Haddad so there is a giant hole to fill and it looks like Sydney will get that opportunity.

• Grace Reininga 5’8” Libero/DS (Johns Hopkins from Northwestern) Video (But from 3-years ago)

First, I want to just pause and say Grace is going from Northwestern to Johns Hopkins. I think she may be smarter than me. I mean all of these student-athletes are but I feel better about saying it with Grace. (Or the Curtin twins.) Grace seems like she will have a lot of eligibility left although she is coming over as a senior academically. She got into 10 sets this past year and filled in as setter for two matches. The Blue Jays are returning the bulk of their team but Grace will only strengthen the back row as she competes for the libero and DS positions.

• Addie VanderWeide 6’0” Outside (Hope from Iowa) VIDEO

Addie is going to help Hope immediately probably in the same fashion that Annie Lockett (another DI transfer) did last year. She played two years at Iowa getting in 208 sets and averaging over 2 Points/Set. With Addie and Annie, Hope will have two quality DI outsides starting for them. Emma Post played the OH #2 spot last year and came away with 300 Points and I expect Addie to beat that number this year. If Hope can plug one middle spot and figure out the right side, they should be back in the Elite 8 again this year.

Tying a bow on this article just to say I’m sure I missed some transfers out there but thank you to CollegeVbTransfers for the information they provided. It will be interesting to follow these 9-players and how they impact their new teams. In Region X, Puget Sound will need Erin Fagan’s help fighting off Whitworth and Pacific Lutheran (again) who I know have to be upset they lost their streak of sole NWC championships (Yes, Whitworth was co-champion in 2022). Cal Lutheran has to love getting Sydney Luchs and have to hope she can replace their outstanding middle. Nationally, I’m really fascinated to see the impact of Ayre at Virginia Wesleyan and watching Addie VanderWeide team up with Lockett at Hope.