DIII athletes jump to Big Ten

McKena Ramos transferred from UW-Oshkosh to UW-Madison after winning two national championships during his freshman year at the Division III school. Ramos, a senior from Sheboygan, competed on both the Badgers' track and cross-country teams. He cited the higher level of competition as the primary reason for the move, noting that every teammate at Madison is performing at or above his level. He also valued the opportunity to compete on a larger stage.

Ramos' decision followed a personal benchmark he set before the indoor national meet. He told coach Eamon McKenna that a freshman title would prompt him to consider Division I. Ramos won the indoor 800-meter race and the outdoor 1500-meter race. McKenna, who coaches track and cross-country at Oshkosh, admitted he did not expect Ramos to win a national title as a first-year student. The coach described Ramos as a talented athlete who flew under the radar during recruitment.

Ramos is one of several high-profile athletes who have recently moved from Division III programs to Big Ten schools. Every school in the conference currently has at least one such transfer on a roster. On the football side, two Badgers made similar jumps. Ricky Finco, a junior wide receiver who plays primarily on the scout team, transferred from UW-Whitewater. Ryan Ramczyk moved from UW-Stevens Point to Madison after dominating the offensive line. Ramczyk had an All-American season in Madison that improved his standing on NFL Draft boards.

The transition from Division III to Division I is not a universal fit for student athletes. Emma Paulson started her freshman year on the UW-Madison swim team but decided the top-level competition was not right for her. She transferred to the University of St. Thomas, a Division III school in Minnesota. Paulson stated that while her times matched Division I standards, the culture at St. Thomas better suited her lifestyle. She described Division I swimming as a dominant force in her life, whereas Division III remained just one part of it.

Paulson finished her career at St. Thomas with three individual national championships and nine individual All-American designations. She noted that she is held to the same academic standards as non-athletes at her current school and does not receive designated academic services. This contrasts with the support systems available at larger programs.

Resource disparities are a clear distinction between the two divisions. Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships and generally maintain smaller facilities. Ramos said his running workouts remained similar at both schools, but Madison provided athletic training tools such as ice baths that Oshkosh lacked. He also credited the tutoring at the Fetzer Center and the ability to take exams while traveling for his academic success.

Both Ramos and Paulson said they would make the same choice again. Ramos described competing for Madison as his dream since middle school. McKenna offered advice to athletes considering a similar move. He said that standing out in Division III creates opportunities, but the critical question is whether an athlete can replace the factors that made them dominant at their previous school.