Transfer student-athletes are finding their new home at Otterbein University.
Freshman nursing major and football player Jaleel Brown blew out his knee during his first season playing in Division I at Ohio University. After realizing his career was on the line and discussing his decision with his family, he decided to make the transfer to Division III at Otterbein University.
“It was a simple process," said Brown. "I knew one of the Otterbein football coaches, and he saw I was in the portal and he picked me up.”
Committing to Otterbein in early 2025, Brown’s entire transfer process from entering and getting on campus took three weeks. He did, however, note that the process is different for everyone. “It was nice…I started meeting people, and I knew I liked it, like, day two,” said Brown.
Even though he plans to transfer to a bigger school to revive his Division I career eventually, he said that he likes the team more than he thought he would.
Junior sports management major and soccer player Nate Werthmuller had a similar positive transfer experience. “We never had a winning season, so I asked myself, 'Do I wanna keep losing or do I wanna find a better program?'” Werthmuller said.
After spending two weeks in the transfer portal, Werthmuller decided that Otterbein was his new home in December 2025.
“All the guys have been pretty welcoming, coaches very helpful," said Werthmuller. "It feels more like a community and not like a school."
Werthmuller said he looks to continue bonding with his new teammates and preparing for his upcoming spring soccer season.
