Transfer Portal Impacts USD Athletics
The University of South Dakota is seeing some major roster changes across athletics as a result of the NCAA transfer portal. Changes like the ones that we have been seeing with the rosters of the university is nothing new to Division 1 sports, it’s just making its way to the FCS and mid-major level.
In women’s basketball, Carley Duffney, a starter and team leader, entered the portal along with freshman starter Gabby Wilke. The two were joined by Addison Klosterbuer, Hannah Coons and four others. That marks eight total departures which marks it as a significant change for the program.
Men’s basketball is seeing key losses also which include seniors Chase Forte and Dre Bullock. Jevon Hill and Oliver Kokal joined the two in the portal as well. These departures do open the door for a rebuilding face of the team.
USD football has lost several of their key contributors since the start of the year. Mountain Valley Conference defensive MVP, Miquise Grace, departed for the University of Kentucky before winter workouts began. Shahid Barros, Gary Bryant, and Quaron Adams are just the names of a few key contributors that the Yotes will be missing on the field this coming year due to the transfer portal.
With each of these programs navigating through these turnover issues, the coaching staffs are now undertaking the job of rebuilding rosters and keeping competitiveness in an era that we have never seen before.
