For sports fans across the country, the month of March is defined by college basketball. It captures teams’ grit, heart and perseverance and never disappoints, especially when it comes to the unexpected. Underdogs ascend from the bottom as blue bloods fall short, rallying fans behind teams they had never heard of before. These unreal moments, known as “cinderella” runs, have been the backbone of the NCAA tournament since its inception. Despite that, athletes being compensated for their Name Image and Likeness (NIL), as well as the transfer portal being more open-ended than ever, have raised concerns regarding whether these magical runs could vanish.

Cinderella runs are stories of players who were never given a chance to shine and teams never glanced at, creating memorable moments on the biggest stage for years to follow. Small programs have historically built their success in the shadows by retaining players for their entire careers, building team chemistry and bonds, and trusting their coaches’ decisions. One of the most iconic examples of this was in 2018. Loyola University Chicago went all the way to the Final Four, inspiring millions of fans with their story, previously known by few but remembered by everyone now.

However, with the addition of NIL to college athletics, many mid-major stars have transferred to better situations to suit their futures. Due to these former underdogs making names for themselves, showing no loyalty to the programs that originally recruited them, and entering the transfer portal, the idea of cinderella runs has weakened. This has allowed teams with higher NIL budgets to go out and recruit the top names, creating superteams in college hoops. Looking back on the 2026 National Champion: the Michigan Wolverines, their entire starting five consisted of transfers seeking better opportunities and brand exposure. Led by former University of Alabama Birmingham player Yaxel Lendeborg, the Wolverines quickly took the nation by storm, blowing teams out every single round of the tournament.

With success like this, it is still too early to say cinderella runs are gone. Just four years ago, number 15-seeded Saint Peter’s Peacocks became the first 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight. Two years later, number 14-seeded Oakland, led by Jack Gohlke, shocked the third seeded Kentucky in one of the tournament’s most surprising upsets. Ultimately, rather than an extinction of cinderella runs, NIL, along with the transfer portal, has just reshaped how we see upsets today in collegiate athletics.