INTERSECTIONALITY IN THE COLLEGE ATHLETE TRANSFER PROCESS: THE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN OF COLOR IN THE NCAA TRANSFER PORTAL

In 2018 the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) adopted the Transfer Portal (NCAA. 2021b). The online database was designed to help the compliance process as athletes were transferring from one institution to another. As the literature review demonstrates the modernity of the transfer portal impacts the quantity of available scholarship.

This dissertation explores the experiences of women of color who have navigated the NCAA transfer portal. Through 10 semi-structured interviews with athletes meeting the study’s inclusion criteria, the research was able to identify emerging themes which followed the phases of Turner’s theory of Liminality (1969). During the preliminal phases athletes encounter various obstacles that discourage retention and negatively impact their emotional well-being. These feeling prompted their decision to enter the transfer portal and the liminal state.

After leaving their initial institution, the existing in the transfer portal and liminal phase introduced an additional set of challenges for the women of color in the sample. These included an overall lack of transfer portal knowledge, negative feelings, and juxtaposition to recruitment. The identified challenges could be combated by the athlete having a positive external support system. These positive external sports allowed for a smoother transfer process for the athletes in the sample.

As the athletes exited the portal they enter the post-liminal phase. This period of incorporation was riddled with barriers to positive transitions as well as facilitators to reaggregation: some of which are directly rooted in intersectionality.

The study emphasizes the need for cultural competency among athletic staffs and the broader social structure. Women of color face unique challenges related to their ethnic and racial identities as well as across gender lines. The findings from this study allow for a richer understanding of how they navigate those challenges. The recommendations and implications provide guidance for addressing the intersectionality that shapes their academic and athletic transfer experience. Ultimately, the research underscores the importance of creating inclusive and equitable environments in college athletics.