By the time this story is published, things could change.
That’s how the ever so changing transfer portal in college sports works these days. Hit the portal, take your name out and stay home, or…what many don’t realize, never find another home. That’s life in the portal.
For a handful from Northern Kentucky, they’re learning that portal life in this moment.
First, you have Simon Kenton alum Gabe Dynes, who will be looking for his third school in three years. Late last week, he announced he’s hitting the transfer portal after spending one season at the University of Southern California. With the Trojans last year, Dynes averaged 2.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game, starting six of the 30 games he played. He spent his first two seasons at Youngstown State, where he came off the bench for much of his two seasons with the Penguins. He averaged 6.8 points and 5.8 rebounds in 21.8 minutes per game in 2024-25 and averaged 3.9 points and four rebounds in 13.6 minutes per game as a freshman.
Dynes is already garnering a bunch of interest. Big men are top priority in this transfer cycle and he’s reportedly heard from several schools, including a few close to home in Kentucky, Louisville, Xavier and Cincinnati. Others include Washington, Ole Miss, Baylor, St. Mary’s, Tennessee, Arizona, Florida State, North Carolina State and Oklahoma. He’s also grown two inches since his days in Independence, as he’s now listed at 7-foot-5.
DJ finds his new home
DeShaun “DJ” Jackson, a Newport alum, is headed to South Carolina State. Jackson spent his first two seasons of his college career at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania. He picked up valuable experience, playing in 58 games in two seasons for Mercyhurst. He nearly doubled his production in every category from his freshman to sophomore year. He went from 3.3 to 6.0 points per game, 12.7 to 22.4 minutes per game, 1.5 to 3.0 assists per game and 1.4 to 3.0 rebounds per game.
Ipsaro, Johnson staying home
Miami (Ohio) junior Evan Ipsaro and Illinois-Chicago freshman Andy Johnson announced they’ll be returning to their respective teams next season. Yes, that is a thing now with the portal that even players deciding to stay and honor their scholarships have to announce their intentions in doing so.
Ipsaro, a Covington Catholic alum, was off to his best season yet with the Redhawks in his junior campaign before a season-ending knee injury in December. In 12 games, Ipsaro was second on the team in scoring with 13.9 points per game. In playing 12 of the 34 Redhawks games this past season, he’d be above the 30% games played threshold for a medical redshirt and have one year of eligibility remaining. He figures to return to a key role as Miami, who were able to keep the majority of their team intact in this past year’s 32-2 storybook season, have lost a couple to the transfer portal already. Former Holmes Bulldog Eian Elmer, who later transferred to Taft after his sophomore year of high school, recently committed to Wisconsin after hitting the portal. Brant Byers also hit the portal and committed to Penn State. Byers and Elmer were the second and third leading scorers on the team after Ipsaro’s injury. Leading scorer Peter Suder is out of eligibility after a senior season of leading the team with 14.8 points per game.
Johnson, A Cooper alum, posted a solid freshman season of 11.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game with the Flames. He started in 34 of 35 contests and averaged 28.7 minutes per game. Expect his role to increase as well with the departure of Elijah Crawford, who transferred to Villanova. Crawford led the team in scoring while Johnson was third. The Flames made a surprising run to the Missouri Valley Conference Championship before losing to Northern Iowa and were invited to the NIT and lost to Cal in the first round.
Decisions loom for Meyer, Walker
We’re still awaiting transfer destinations for Holy Cross alum Jacob Meyer and Lloyd Memorial alum EJ Walker. Meyer will be headed to his fourth school in four years after announcing he’s hitting the transfer portal from University of Alabama-Birmingham while Walker announced his intentions to transfer from South Carolina. According to a report from Sam Keyser, a High School and College Basketball Recruiting Analyst for League Ready, Walker is receiving interest from Louisville, Indiana, Cincinnati, Vanderbilt, North Carolina State, Ole Miss, UAB, Loyola-Chicago and Charlotte.