Peon to Pedestal: Robinson Hailed as Latest Big-Time Small-School Transfer

December 3rd, 2015 - 18:59

Despite what you might read elsewhere, a striking number of major-college standouts started their careers playing for a four-year small college before transferring. Of course, the most prominent player in this category is all-time great Elgin Baylor. After leaving College of Idaho, Baylor became an NCAA unanimous first-team All-American with Seattle in 1957-58.

More than 30 different players became NCAA Division I conference all-league selections in the 1980s and 1990s after beginning their careers with a small four-year college. In 2013-14, Weber State swingman Davion Berry (transfer from Cal State Monterey Bay) became the fourth player thus far in the 21st Century to earn MVP honors in a DI league after transferring from a small college.

Michigan three-point specialist Duncan Robinson (17.1 ppg and 6.5 rpg for Williams MA in 2013-14 before transferring) will make major contributions to the Wolverines, but the odds are against him making as huge an impact in a power conference to what Gerald Glass did in the SEC for Ole Miss after departing Delta State. Who will be next player to join new Alabama coach Avery Johnson (transferred from Cameron OK to Southern LA) among the following chronological list of first-team all-conference selections since the NCAA playoffs expanded to at least 64 teams in 1985 after starting their college careers playing for non-Division I four-year schools?

Season First-Team Selection Pos. Division I School Conference Four-Year Small College
1984-85 Curtis High G Nevada-Reno Big Sky Tennessee-Martin
1984-85 Jim McCaffrey G Holy Cross Metro Atlantic St. Michael's (Vt.)
1984-85 Bob McCann C Morehead State Ohio Valley Upsala (N.J.)
1985-86 Oscar Jones G Delaware East Coast Winston-Salem State (N.C.)
1985-86 Jim McCaffrey G Holy Cross Metro Atlantic St. Michael's (Vt.)
1985-86 Bob McCann C Morehead State Ohio Valley Upsala (N.J.)
1985-86 Jerry Stroman F Utah Western Athletic Benedict (S.C.)
1986-87 Marchell Henry F East Carolina Colonial Athletic St. Andrews (N.C.)
1986-87 Avery Johnson G Southern (La.) SWAC Cameron (Okla.)
1986-87 Bob McCann* C Morehead State Ohio Valley Upsala (N.J.)
1986-87 Ron Simpson F Rider East Coast Adelphi (N.Y.)
1987-88 Avery Johnson* G Southern (La.) SWAC Cameron (Okla.)
1987-88 Larry Jones* F Boston University ECAC North Atlantic C.W. Post (N.Y.)
1988-89 Gerald Glass F Mississippi SEC Delta State (Miss.)
1989-90 Gerald Glass F Mississippi SEC Delta State (Miss.)
1990-91 Marcus Kennedy* F-C Eastern Michigan Mid-American Ferris State (Mich.)
1990-91 Tony Walker F Saint Peter's Metro Atlantic Kean College (N.J.)
1992-93 Leon McGee G Western Michigan Mid-American Michigan Tech
1993-94 Tucker Neale* G Colgate Patriot League Ashland (Ohio)
1994-95 Tucker Neale G Colgate Patriot League Ashland (Ohio)
1995-96 Johnny Taylor F UT-Chattanooga Southern Knoxville (Tenn.)
1996-97 Johnny Taylor* F UT-Chattanooga Southern Knoxville (Tenn.)
1996-97 Raymond Tutt G UC Santa Barbara Big West Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
1997-98 Andrew Betts C Long Beach State Big West C.W. Post (N.Y.)
1997-98 Chad Townsend G Murray State Ohio Valley St. Edward's (Tex.)
1999-00 Matt Gladieux G Coastal Carolina Big South Bellarmine (Ky.)
2000-01 Demond Stewart* G Niagara Metro Atlantic Mercyhurst (Pa.)
2001-02 Justin Rowe C Maine America East Clearwater Christian (Fla.)
2003-04 Miah Davis* G Pacific Big West Cal State Stanislaus
2004-05 Yemi Nicholson* C Denver Sun Belt Fort Lewis (Colo.)
2012-13 Davion Berry G-F Weber State Big Sky Cal State Monterey Bay
2013-14 Davion Berry* G-F Weber State Big Sky Cal State Monterey Bay

*Ten of these players were named conference MVP.
NOTE: Tennessee-Martin subsequently moved up to the DI level.