D3 to D1 transfers

[sadernation]

Does anyone know of an athlete who transferred from a division III school to a division I school that found success?

[Ralph Turner]

Does anyone know of an athlete who transferred from a division III school to a division I school that found success?

The first guy that comes to mind is Khalid Naziruddin, DB for Texas Tech who transferred from HPU in the early part of the decade.

Here are his 2005 stats, when he was a senior.

http://www.texastech.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2005-2006/teamcume.html

66 tackles in 12 games on the season...

[Jonny Utah]

Steve Hauschka, a kicker for the Baltimore Ravens graduated from Middlebury College and then went to grad school at North Carolina State.  Not really a transfer, but he made the jump in another fashion.

[theoriginalupstate]

Current Seattle FB and former West Virginia FB Owen Schmitt played at Wisconsin-River Falls. At River Falls, he posted a 1,063 yards and five touchdown performance his freshman year, which earned him Division III all-conference honors in only nine starting games. 

[wildcat11]

Utah's Travis LaTendresse spent his 2001 season as a red shirt at Linfield before transferring to Utah where he eventually became the Utes leading WR and MVP of the 2005 Emerald Bowl after setting Emerald Bowl and Mountain West Conference bowl records with a 16 reception, 214 yard performance in a 38-10 win vs. Georgia Tech.

[frank uible]

In 1952 (before there was a formal DI or DIII) Dick Brubaker transfered from Ohio Wesleyan to Ohio State where he played for two years and became captain in 1953 on one of Woody's national championship teams, following which he played in the NFL for three years.

[d-train]

We had a guy leave PLU for Oregon (Sonny Cook). It was mostly because of a family relocation and finances. But he walked on and had moderate success returning kickoffs and catching a few passes for the Ducks. I'm trying to remember if he ran track there as well.

Fans of American Idol would be familar with his younger sister Kristy Lee.

[Mugsy]

Mike Ware played one year at Wheaton College as a freshman DT/DE.  He transferred to the University of Illinois as a walk-on and saw considerable action for 2 years as a DT - 6'3" 285lbs.  In 2007 he played in every game, including the 2008 Rose Bowl against USC.  He had 15 tackles (4 for loss) and 3 sacks for the season.  Not a star at the D1 level by any account, but someone who transferred from a D3 program to a D1 program and worked his way into significant playing time.

Scary thing is that had he stayed at Wheaton, he would have been in the same playing class as Andrew Studebaker - who is now playing with the Kansas City Chiefs.  Wheaton would have had a DE drafted by the NFL and a DT of DI quality playing alongside each other.  Now that would have been a tough D-line.

[Ray Finkles]

Shaun Rochon played two years at Mary Hardin-Baylor (2001, 2002). He then transferred to Baylor University to play his final two seasons. He was an Honorable Mention All-Big 12 selection as a kick returner his senior season. I will let the board debate whether or not Baylor was Division I football at that time

[Ralph Turner]

Shaun Rochon played two years at Mary Hardin-Baylor (2001, 2002). He then transferred to Baylor University to play his final two seasons. He was an Honorable Mention All-Big 12 selection as a kick returner his senior season. I will let the board debate whether or not Baylor was Division I football at that time

Baylor may not have been D1 at that time, but the opponents against whom Rochon was returning the kickoffs were D1.   That's for sure. 

[Toby Taff]

Shaun Rochon played two years at Mary Hardin-Baylor (2001, 2002). He then transferred to Baylor University to play his final two seasons. He was an Honorable Mention All-Big 12 selection as a kick returner his senior season. I will let the board debate whether or not Baylor was Division I football at that time

You might be able to question Baylor's D1 status in football at the time, but Baylor was D1 in every other sport at the time anyway.     (I'm still not sure the 04 Crusaders wouldn't have at least given th 04 Baylor team all they could handle)

[sadernation]

Sweet. You guys definitely know your stuff. Owen Schmitt has an awesome story. Good Stuff.

[K-Mack]

I think you guys hit all the major ones I would've mentioned.

There have also been scenarios where guys have left and have not been successful, maybe more than who have (although, predictably, I don't have any names on the tip of my tongue)

I also wore the same jersey number as Howard Stevens, a pre-D3 Randolph-Macon player who jumped to Louisville for two years and then the NFL for nine seasons. Pretty sure he was a big reason why we won the Knute Rockne Bowl and went undefeated in 1969.

[DGPugh]

Hay

Alex Lincoln played 1 season at Miss College, transfered to Auburn as walk on,

at Auburn he eas a 2 yr starter, Def Captain, Drafted by SF 49ers in 2001, was listed on team 2 yrs (but injured) now works in Fl in a large Sports Med Clinic

he was a blond headed, 6'0" (MAYBE) ~240# of wide open explosion, he willed himself to play for AU ... a pleasure to watch play the game

he was Auburns leading tackler...even though he played with takeo spikes et al

keep the faith

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Hay

Alex Lincoln played 1 season at Miss College, transfered to Auburn as walk on,

at Auburn he eas a 2 yr starter, Def Captain, Drafted by SF 49ers in 2001, was listed on team 2 yrs (but injured) now works in Fl in a large Sports Med Clinic

he was a blond headed, 6'0" (MAYBE) ~240# of wide open explosion

Do you have a crush on Mr. Lincoln?