Transfer State

Valley Teams Navigating ‘New Age’ Recruiting

(St. Louis, MO) – Missouri Valley teams are learning the ropes of new age recruiting. Valley programs have historically found success recruiting high school players and developing them into fifth year seniors.

Times are changing and MVC coaches are changing with them.

There are hundreds of Division 1 players in the transfer portal. Basketball coaches may dislike the ‘free agent’ atmosphere, but they must participate in the new age recruiting.

Loyola Affect

The two-time champion Loyola Ramblers catapulted to the top of the conference behind back-to-back Valley ‘Player of the Year’ award winners. Clayton Custer and Marques Townes were both were Division 1 transfers. They also utilized the traditional prep player development with players like Ben Richardson, Donte Ingram and Cameron Krutwig.

When Niko Medved left Drake after the 2017-18 season, the Bulldogs had to be rebuilt quickly. Last season’s co-champions used every means possible to replentish its roster and two Division 1 transfers, Nick Norton and Brady Ellingson were difference-makers in Darian DeVries’ attack.

Stock Piling Division 1 Players

During Illinois State’s up-and-down season, the Redbirds’ possessed the most talented ‘red-shirt’ team in America. No fewer than three very accomplished Division 1 players were working out, but not playing in Normal, Illinois. Keith Fisher and Jaycee Hillsman both averaged roughly ten points per game for San Jose State, while Dedric Boyd averaged 13 points per game for Eastern Kentucky.

Valparaiso plugged D 1 transfer Ryan Fazekas (Providence) in to their lineup last year and he’ll be joined by Seton Hall’s Eron Gordon and St. Joseph’s Nick Robinson this season.

New Age Recruiting – Off the Charts

That sounds like a lot of Division 1 transfers for the tradition based MVC. Missouri State tops them all. Josh Webster (Texas Tech), Tulio Da Silva (South Florida) and Jared Ridder (Xavier) were all part of last year’s team.

That was just the beginning.

Joining the Bears are Nevada’s Josh Hall, Middle Tennessee’s Tyrik Dixon, West Virginia’s Lamont West and Colorado State’s Anthony Masinton-Bonner. If Da Silva decides to stay in college (he’s investigating the NBA), Dana Ford will have at least seven D 1 transfers in this season’s rotation.

Associate head coach Corey Gipson told MissouriStateBears.com West’s experience and versatility will help the Bears.

“He will immediately add a great deal of leadership and experience after having been a part of two NCAA Sweet Sixteen teams (2015 and 2017) at West Virginia and part of two Big 12 championship games,” said Gipson. “His multi-faceted game and sharp shooting ability will most definitely increase the versatility of our roster from all positions.”

ESPN ranked West was ranked as the ninth best D 1 transfer nationally and Evansville’s Sam Cunliffe came in 15th.

The transfers of so many D 1 players used to be looked at exclusively as ‘power conferences’ poaching smaller programs. Not any more. There will be over 20 Division 1 transfers wearing Valley uniforms this coming season.

Northern Iowa and Bradley seem to be mostly holding the line with the lion’s share of the recruits coming from the high school world. The Braves have two D 1’s becoming eligible next season. However, there is no doubt that new age recruiting is here to stay.

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