The 🚨 is that both Opposites in Semifinal 2 are gone so that would mean 3 of the Big West starting RS players will be new. The not announced signings will be huge to each of these programs.
Gone are the days of Fab 50s being shoo ins to the top programs as the International players get moved to the front of the line.
Your model is a great tool and the Volleyball world is much better for it
The Men’s Volleyball (MVB) transfer portal is currently in its primary window for the 2026 season. Here is the breakdown of the rules, timelines, and current status for Division I and Division II.
## **Transfer Windows (2026 Season)**
For **Division I**, the transfer portal operates within specific "notification-of-transfer" windows. If an athlete does not enter during these dates, they may require a waiver for immediate eligibility.
* **Primary Window:** Opened **May 3, 2026** and will close **June 1, 2026**.
* **Secondary Window:** Historically, a smaller window occurs in December (roughly Dec 1–15) for spring sports to accommodate mid-year transfers.
In **Division II**, the rules are more flexible. DII athletes generally do not have the same sport-specific window restrictions and can enter the portal at any time after providing formal written notification to their school.
## **Key Eligibility & Contact Rules**
The NCAA has recently shifted toward "free agency" style movement, significantly reducing the hurdles for student-athletes.
* **Immediate Eligibility:** Under current NCAA rules, multi-time transfers are now typically eligible to compete immediately without sitting out a year, provided they are academically eligible and entered the portal during the designated window.
* **The 48-Hour Rule:** Once an athlete notifies their compliance office, the school has **48 hours** to enter their name into the portal.
* **Recruiting Contact:** Coaches cannot legally contact a player from another school until their name officially appears in the portal.
## **Current Landscape & Trends**
* **High Activity:** Since the DI window opened on May 3, there has been a significant surge in entrants following the conclusion of the NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship (which took place on May 11, 2026).
* **Graduate Transfers:** Grad students often have more flexibility and continue to be a major factor for programs looking for immediate, experienced leadership.
* **Roster Management:** Because schools are now required to honor the scholarships of undergraduate transfers until they graduate, many programs are being more selective with the number of portal spots they fill.
## **Resources for Tracking Names**
While the official NCAA portal is only accessible to coaches and compliance staff, the following public forums and sites are active with "done deals" and rumors:
* **VolleyTalk:** The "2026 MVB Transfer Portal" thread is the primary hub for fans and players to track movement.
* **Off the Block:** Regularly updates a list of DI-II players who have officially changed programs.
* **Volleybox:** Tracks international and domestic transfers with a community-driven database.
After the way the UCLA match ended, it was great to see UCI start off strong and prove they belonged. Kniffen gets on my nerves at times, but he did an incredibly impressive job of bringing this team along and making adjustments over the course of a season. I hope they can bring Jokanovic back for a second season. Kosty has a lot of upside, too.
Even more impressive was how Hawaii responded to the early adversity, especially since Rosenthal was clearly less than 100%. Hawaii's pins have, on occasion, been rattled early and struggled to get back on track mentally, but they all kept their cool and swung their way back into the match. Roure especially has a way of finding hands at the most crucial moments to change momentum.
Indications seem to be that KT is gone, but hopefully UH gets at least one of the French connection back for an encore. For all the attention to their offense, those two wear down opponents in the back row. It will be an interesting off-season. UH's B side this year was probably a top ~15 team, and it may take Charlie's best sales job yet to avoid significant attrition.
Our sport is unlike the others where we play so many different type of opponents (NAIA, Div 3, etc) altering the SOS and rating. So many more variables that need to be looked after to give a true table
The 🚨 is that both Opposites in Semifinal 2 are gone so that would mean 3 of the Big West starting RS players will be new. The not announced signings will be huge to each of these programs.
Gone are the days of Fab 50s being shoo ins to the top programs as the International players get moved to the front of the line.
Your model is a great tool and the Volleyball world is much better for it
Thank you so much, Karl!
What is the portal window for MVB?
The Men’s Volleyball (MVB) transfer portal is currently in its primary window for the 2026 season. Here is the breakdown of the rules, timelines, and current status for Division I and Division II.
## **Transfer Windows (2026 Season)**
For **Division I**, the transfer portal operates within specific "notification-of-transfer" windows. If an athlete does not enter during these dates, they may require a waiver for immediate eligibility.
* **Primary Window:** Opened **May 3, 2026** and will close **June 1, 2026**.
* **Secondary Window:** Historically, a smaller window occurs in December (roughly Dec 1–15) for spring sports to accommodate mid-year transfers.
In **Division II**, the rules are more flexible. DII athletes generally do not have the same sport-specific window restrictions and can enter the portal at any time after providing formal written notification to their school.
## **Key Eligibility & Contact Rules**
The NCAA has recently shifted toward "free agency" style movement, significantly reducing the hurdles for student-athletes.
* **Immediate Eligibility:** Under current NCAA rules, multi-time transfers are now typically eligible to compete immediately without sitting out a year, provided they are academically eligible and entered the portal during the designated window.
* **The 48-Hour Rule:** Once an athlete notifies their compliance office, the school has **48 hours** to enter their name into the portal.
* **Recruiting Contact:** Coaches cannot legally contact a player from another school until their name officially appears in the portal.
## **Current Landscape & Trends**
* **High Activity:** Since the DI window opened on May 3, there has been a significant surge in entrants following the conclusion of the NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship (which took place on May 11, 2026).
* **Graduate Transfers:** Grad students often have more flexibility and continue to be a major factor for programs looking for immediate, experienced leadership.
* **Roster Management:** Because schools are now required to honor the scholarships of undergraduate transfers until they graduate, many programs are being more selective with the number of portal spots they fill.
## **Resources for Tracking Names**
While the official NCAA portal is only accessible to coaches and compliance staff, the following public forums and sites are active with "done deals" and rumors:
* **VolleyTalk:** The "2026 MVB Transfer Portal" thread is the primary hub for fans and players to track movement.
* **Off the Block:** Regularly updates a list of DI-II players who have officially changed programs.
* **Volleybox:** Tracks international and domestic transfers with a community-driven database.
Thank you, coach!!
Thanks for all your coverage this year, T.J.!! Always love having the report pop up in my inbox every morning!
Thank you so much!
After the way the UCLA match ended, it was great to see UCI start off strong and prove they belonged. Kniffen gets on my nerves at times, but he did an incredibly impressive job of bringing this team along and making adjustments over the course of a season. I hope they can bring Jokanovic back for a second season. Kosty has a lot of upside, too.
Even more impressive was how Hawaii responded to the early adversity, especially since Rosenthal was clearly less than 100%. Hawaii's pins have, on occasion, been rattled early and struggled to get back on track mentally, but they all kept their cool and swung their way back into the match. Roure especially has a way of finding hands at the most crucial moments to change momentum.
Indications seem to be that KT is gone, but hopefully UH gets at least one of the French connection back for an encore. For all the attention to their offense, those two wear down opponents in the back row. It will be an interesting off-season. UH's B side this year was probably a top ~15 team, and it may take Charlie's best sales job yet to avoid significant attrition.
P.S. Hat tip to the model, which seemed to perform incredibly well this year!
Thanks! Very early analysis looks like it did pretty well 😀
Our sport is unlike the others where we play so many different type of opponents (NAIA, Div 3, etc) altering the SOS and rating. So many more variables that need to be looked after to give a true table