Universities are desperate to win now, but athletes and the nation both lose |
Opinion
Universities are desperate to win now, but athletes and the nation both lose
Transfer portals, NIL money and international recruiting reshape incentives as critics question the pathway
By Patrick McEnroe Fox News
Published June 25, 2026 5:00am EDT
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I love college sports.
As a former college athlete, coach, broadcaster and someone who has spent a lifetime around tennis, I’ve seen firsthand how college athletics can transform lives. For generations, American universities have offered young people a remarkable bargain: earn an education, compete at a high level and develop the skills needed to succeed long after the games are over.
That model has served America extraordinarily well.
Today, however, it is worth asking a difficult question:
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Anastasiia Lopata and Guillermina Grant of the Georgia Bulldogs compete in a doubles match against Daria Smetannikov and Lexington Reed of the Texas A&M Aggies during the NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championship held at the Hurd Tennis Center on May 18, 2025, in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Have universities begun prioritizing winning over developing students?
The question extends far beyond tennis.
In recent years, college athletics has undergone a dramatic transformation. The transfer portal, NIL money, conference realignment and growing financial pressures have created powerful incentives to pursue immediate success. Coaches are increasingly rewarded for winning now, not developing athletes over time.
COLLEGE SPORTS SEES PIVOTAL MOMENT AS SENATE LOOKS TO MOVE LEGISLATION ON NIL, TRANSFERS ACROSS GOAL LINE
When immediate results become the priority, recruiting strategies change.
The quickest path to victory is often to acquire older, more experienced athletes who can contribute immediately.
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That trend is particularly visible in sports like tennis. Current NCAA data shows that approximately........