UW-Madison's Ramos Completes D-III Transfer Presence Across Big Ten

McKena Ramos has joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison track and cross-country teams, marking the latest movement of talent from Division III programs into the Big Ten. With Ramos on the roster, every one of the conference's 18 schools now lists at least one athlete who transferred from a Division III institution.

Ramos, a senior from Sheboygan, arrived at UW-Oshkosh as a recruited track athlete. His coaches there did not anticipate him achieving the level of success he ultimately reached. Eamon McKenna, the track and cross-country coach at UW-Oshkosh, recalled that the staff knew Ramos was talented but considered him somewhat under the radar. McKenna stated that he did not expect Ramos to win a national championship as a freshman.

Ramos set a personal condition before the indoor national meet: if he won a title as a freshman, he would seriously consider moving to Division I. He then won the indoor 800-meter title and the outdoor 1500-meter title. Following those victories, Ramos made the transfer to Madison. He has since contributed to both the Badgers' track and cross-country squads.

Ramos attributes his improved times to the higher intensity of competition in the Big Ten. He noted that every athlete at his new level is competing at a similar standard or above. He also cited the opportunity to compete on larger stages as a major factor in his decision. His path mirrors that of two Badger football players who made similar jumps. Ricky Finco, a junior wide receiver, transferred to Madison after a year at UW-Whitewater. Ryan Ramczyk moved from UW-Stevens Point to Madison, where he posted an All-American season that improved his standing on NFL Draft boards.

The transition from Division III to Division I is not universally successful for athletes. Emma Paulson concluded during her freshman season on UW-Madison's swim team that top-level college competition was not the right fit for her. She subsequently transferred to the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, a Division III school. At St. Thomas, Paulson finished her career with three individual national championships and nine individual All-American designations.

Paulson explained that while her swimming times matched Division I standards, the cultural environment aligned better with Division III. She described Division I swimming as taking over her life, whereas Division III is simply a part of it. Both Ramos and Paulson said they would make their respective choices again.

Resource disparities remain a defining difference between the two levels. Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships and generally maintain smaller facilities than their Division I counterparts. Ramos noted that while running workouts are similar, Madison provides athletic training facilities such as ice baths that were unavailable at Oshkosh. He also credited the tutoring available at the Fetzer Center and the ability to take exams while traveling for his academic success. In contrast, Paulson stated that she is held to the same academic standards as non-athletes at St. Thomas and has no designated academic services.

McKenna offered advice to other Division III athletes considering a move. He said that standing out in Division III creates opportunities. However, he emphasized that the critical question is whether an athlete can replicate the dominance they achieved at their previous school.