Former Ivy League Player of the Year Caden Pierce made headlines recently by announcing his decision to redshirt next season, graduate in May, and eventually enter the transfer portal to spend his last year of eligibility at another institution.

Pierce, raised in suburban Chicago by Northwestern alumni who were Division I athletes, excelled both academically and athletically in high school and subsequently chose Princeton.

However, significant changes have occurred since his enrollment. With the advent of lucrative NIL deals and revenue sharing now allowing Division I schools to make direct payments to athletes, the landscape has shifted dramatically.

Often, players at power-conference schools are earning substantial figures while Ivy League institutions, including Princeton, have opted out of revenue-sharing opportunities.

As Pierce noted in his statement on social media, \n*“What I am learning as I continue to grow is that the only constant in life is change… This was a very hard decision for me.”*

Ultimately, Pierce aims to complete his degree from a highly regarded institution before transitioning to a power-conference program, potentially maximizing both his academic and athletic prospects.