Transferring to a new college can be a hassle.

With all of the paperwork to be done, the applications, living arrangements and “exit surveys,” it’s not easy to finalize the process of leaving, and that’s not to mention adjusting to a new school generally requires a transition period for any college student.

It takes time to adjust to a new environment with new faces, new classes and new friends to make. Starting over isn’t easy for normal students, much less college athletes.

Generally in collegiate athletics, transfers don’t make a huge impact right away. In many sports, transfers have to sit out for a season unless there is a case of NCAA violations at their old school or they are a junior college/graduate transfer.

Iowa State softball players Sydney Stites, Taylor Nearad and Hannah Carter are bucking that trend in style.

All three are new to the Cyclones for the 2018 season and they’ve already carved out key roles for themselves in head coach Jamie Pinkerton’s first season at the helm.

For Nearad and Carter, the opportunity to play ball in their home state was far too good to pass up.

Nearad, a junior outfielder from Solon, Iowa, spent the first two years of her collegiate career at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids. She said it was a dream of hers to play for Iowa growing up, and during her final year with Kirkwood she visited both the Hawkeyes and Iowa State.

But if it was her dream school, why not go to Iowa?

“I actually didn’t really like [Iowa],” Nearad said. “I came on a visit here and I loved it here.”

So, after a two-season run at Kirkwood in which she was named the NJCAA Division II Player of the Year twice and hit an astonishing .602 at the plate in 2017, Nearad arrived in Ames. Nearad has started every game for the Cyclones this season, batting .298 (third on the team) with 13 of her 36 hits being doubles (tying her for the second-most doubles nationwide).

One of the biggest adjustments for Nearad has been the time management aspect. She says the practices are longer at Iowa State, and she’s had to do a better job of making the quick turnaround from class to position practices.

Pinkerton said Nearad is “catching a little bit of fire” and has overcome some early season failures.

“Defensively, she’s been really good for us and has anchored down the outfield,” Pinkerton said.

Carter’s path to Ames was a little more unconventional.

The sophomore outfielder from Altoona, Iowa, went to high school at Southeast Polk, but wasn’t offered by the Cyclones or Hawkeyes. Instead, Carter went to Bellevue University, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics school in Nebraska. In her one year at Bellevue, she was named first-team All-Nebraska School Activities Association and batted .389 in 61 games. She tallied 26 multi-hit games for the Bruins and hit three home runs.

But, as a central Iowa native, she always wanted to come back home and play for her family, so when Iowa State came calling she jumped at the chance.

The difference between the two schools was vast, both in size and stature.

“There’s a lot more resources here,” Carter said. “It’s nice representing your state.”

Even when then-coach Jamie Trachsel left after just one season to coach the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Carter stuck with the Cyclones. Carter says even though she committed to play under a different coach, learning from Pinkerton has been a positive experience.

“I think it’s been awesome,” Carter said. “I really enjoy him and his coaching style.”

Pinkerton praised Carter for getting off to a hot start this season and catching opponents off guard, but said she still is learning to adjust to opponents. He has high hopes for the sophomore once she finds her rhythm again.

“When she starts cutting through that, I think she’ll be fine,” Pinkerton said.

Stites was the only transfer to arrive on campus after the hiring of Pinkerton, and she had good reason. Stites was at Montana for the last two seasons of Pinkerton’s tenure with the Grizzlies and had cemented herself as one of the star players of an up-and-coming program, earning Big Sky Freshman of the Year honors in 2016 and batting .383 in 56 games.

She followed Pinkerton to Ames and has become an instant infield starter, hitting .298 and carrying a .951 fielding percentage, fifth-highest on the team. She ranks second on the team with six home runs as well.

Stites says she’s had to take up a leadership role in the infield this season.

“We’re the first ones that get action with the ball,” Stites said. “It definitely helped to have some seasons under my belt.”

Pinkerton said when he first got here, he had no idea who was going to step up after fall ball and earn starting roles.

Through 36 games, three newcomers to the Cyclone program have made a noticeable impact, and along the way they’ve proven sometimes starting over isn’t as difficult as it’s cracked up to be.