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The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

    Kingsmen football calls on transfers for success

    A NCAA Division III coach knows that when it comes to recruiting elite players, you want as many as possible.

    Football coach Ben McEnroe has had Division I players transfer to CLU and play for his program during his time here.Transfers from Division I schools, “come in a wide variety,” said McEnroe. “Guys that have been rotational players or walk-ons are usually the transfer players we get interest from,” he said.

    Making sure the player is eligible is the easy part of getting the transfer into the school.

    McEnroe usually finds out about transfers directly from the transfer themselves, or from current players who are friends with them.

    “The player has to contact us first. We can’t go out there and look for people who are wanting to transfer,” said McEnroe. “The release from the school they attended is the first thing we ask about.  Getting a signed release from the school is the only way they are allowed to contact other schools and also be eligible to play the next season.”

    A recent player for the Kingsmen who had a major impact right away was recent graduate Jake Laudenslayer, a transfer from Marshall University.
    “Laudenslayer was a big transfer and impact player for us the past two seasons,” said McEnroe.

    This year there is a new mixture of transfers, a few from big name schools.

    Donald Lee Senegal III is a stand out in particular to California Lutheran University students and to coach McEnroe. Senegal is a transfer from Ohio State, a top tier Division I program. Senegal has scored a touch down in each of the Kingsmen’s first two games this season.

    “I think it’s pretty awesome that we have players coming in from big time schools like Ohio State,” said Thomas Millet, a senior tennis player who transferred from Ventura College.

    “I think the more attention and popularity that we can get, the better it is.”
    Along with attention, transfers bring a lot more to the table.

    “Transfers lead by example. They tend to be more mature, older and exposed to a high level of coaching. They have a work ethic that takes them to that next level,” said McEnroe. “It all rubs off on their position groups and makes all the other players compete harder and train harder too”.
    McEnroe always looks for opportunities to bring in transfer students.

    “We try and bring in 10-12 transfers a year,” said McEnroe.

    It’s not always the easiest to get transfers into a Division III school and CLU seems to be a school that gladly welcomes them.

    “We are a transfer-friendly school. We have to check and make sure they are academically eligible. We also have to make sure they meet the guidelines that CLU requires for acceptance,” said McEnroe.

    Southern California is a hot spot for picking up football players all around the country.  Recruiting becomes more difficult with USC and UCLA in the mix of picking players.

    Players who are not playing or are not on scholarship end up wanting to come back home.

    CLU takes the experience and skill that the players bring from their old schools and adds it to the CLU roster.

     

    Nicholas Ballou
    Staff Writer
    Published On Oct. 3, 2012

     

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