LAX Transfers: Stayed Together, Played Together

John English

Transferring to a new school is daunting to many, but when John English started at Adelphi, he felt at home right away.

He was among several students who transferred from Nassau Community College (NCC) to Adelphi; many played together on the men’s lacrosse teams for both schools. Two, English and Travis Wahl, are now seniors. Two others, Sean McCann ‘15 and Tim Daly ‘15, are new AU alumni.

While a member of the NCC lacrosse team, English had visited Adelphi several times. “Nassau and Adelphi have a really strong relationship,” he said. “The coaches know each other well, and we would play scrimmages on the Adelphi field.”

English—who as a junior was a 2015 Northeast-10 (NE-10) First Team All-Conference Award winner and also was on the NE-10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (Fall 2014 and Spring 2015)—noted that in Fall 2014, when he started at Adelphi, three of his NCC teammates (including Wahl) transferred as well, not just to the University but to its Division II lacrosse team. Four others (including McCann) had transferred the previous year.

These built-in relationships were crucial to English’s smooth transition at Adelphi. “Having guys I knew transfer with me definitely helped me transition more easily,” he said. McCann agreed. “I knew I had friends before I even started my first day of classes,” he said.

Beyond having the comfort of familiar faces, English found Adelphi to be a welcoming, supportive place. The lacrosse coaches were also a big help, encouraging their new players to take advantage of Adelphi’s many academic resources, English said. “The coaches made the recruiting process go very smoothly,” McCann added.

Sean McCann ‘15

Adelphi actually is English’s second transfer, since he had spent a year at the State University of New York College at Brockport before switching to NCC. McCann has a similar story: He attended Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina for a year before attending NCC.

For both McCann and English, Adelphi’s Division II lacrosse team was a major draw. “I wanted a school that was close to home, had my major and had a high-level lacrosse team,” English said. “Seeing the strong relationship between NCC and Adelphi also made me interested in coming here.” While McCann considered playing lacrosse for St. John’s University, Adelphi’s small size, affordable tuition and position in the NE-10 Conference persuaded him to choose Adelphi.

A criminal justice major, English said, “I became interested in law enforcement because I have a lot of NYPD officers in my family. But I’m looking into more than just police work.” While English awaits the results from several police-related exams, he is also exploring the recruitment process for positions with U.S. Customs and the Secret Service.

McCann also studied criminal justice but is opting for a more hands-on career in construction. “I’ve always liked working with my hands and working outside,” he said. “It’s physically demanding, so being a former athlete is helping me excel.”

Ultimately, Adelphi simply makes an easy transfer experience. With engaged coaches and established resources for academic and student support, McCann and English described an inviting, encouraging atmosphere for transfers. “Adelphi is a small campus and very tight-knit,” English said. “It’s just very easy to acclimate to.”

English has been happy with his time at Adelphi—and he has some advice to help the next crop of transfers make the most of their experiences. “Take advantage of the resources that are available to you,” he advised, emphasizing the benefits of a library with late hours (especially helpful for athletes with evening practice) and the Learning Center and Writing Center.