MARK EDWARD VERBURG. NCAA Transfer Student-athletes, Athletic Identity, and the Impact of COVID-19
(Under the direction of Dr. MARK D’AMICO)
Transfer students are an increasingly important piece of the college athletics puzzle; however, little is known about the athletic identity of this important population and the effects of COVID on their commitment to sport. The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the athletic identity levels of NCAA student-athletes who transferred to their current institutions versus the athletic identity levels of fellow student-athletes who did not transfer. Additionally, the study sought to explore relationships between athletic identity and a student-athlete’s view of the personal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample included 413 student-athletes from all three NCAA divisions and a variety of transfer situations. Noteworthy findings include: student-athletes who transfer are likely to have a higher athletic identity than those who have not transferred, student-athlete’s strength of commitment to their sport during the pandemic influenced their athletic identity scores, and student-athletes who had negative academic experiences exhibited higher athletic identity scores. Considering the increasing prevalence of transfer student athletes, these findings will inform athletic personnel from administrators to coaches to academic advisors about the transfer population and the influence of the pandemic on student-athletes. Recommendations include: intentionally discussing the concept of athletic identity with student-athletes throughout their collegiate careers, encouraging student-athletes to develop multiple roles or identities outside of sport, and understand that the pandemic impacted student-athletes in a multitude of ways including influencing how they viewed the role of sport in their lives.