Former Trevian — an All-Ivy pick — is transfer-portal prize ahead of final college season

While the details have evolved, Jake Fiegen’s goal to play on the next level is nearly as old as he is.

The time has again come to level up.

Fiegen, a record-breaking New Trier basketball player and 2023 NTHS graduate, has finished a decorated, three-year run with Cornell University basketball and is in the transfer portal seeking a powerhouse program for his final year of college eligibility.

“Just the opportunity to play basketball and specifically college basketball at the highest level has always been a dream of mine and something I think I am capable of,” Fiegen told The Record. “And at this point I think I am ready for it.”

Fiegen was a three-year starter for the varsity Trevians. He scored a school-record 748 points (21 points per game) his senior season, leading New Trier to a third-place finish in IHSA Class 4A.

After two seasons with Cornell, he reclassified as an early graduate and signed with an agent, setting up his final season with the Big Red — a season that earned him a place on the All-Ivy League’s first team.

NCAA student-athletes can fill out an application to transfer schools, a system known as “the transfer portal.” The portal has gained notoriety in recent years as the NCAA has eased restrictions on its usage, most notably removing a year penalty (2021) and allowing unlimited transfers (2024).

For all college basketball players, the portal opened on April 7; however, pending graduates, like Fiegen, are allowed to do so earlier. Fiegen’s team announced his decision to transfer on March 16, two days after Cornell’s loss in the Ivy League Tournament ended its season.

He said once the news of his pending transfer broke, he heard from “a ton of different programs.” Since, his list has narrowed, and he told The Record he has four official visits planned this month: Vanderbilt, Virginia, Villanova and Northwestern, all of which compete in a “power” collegiate conference, a goal for the Wilmette native.

“It’s definitely bittersweet because I love Cornell and have spent three great years here and built awesome relationships I will have all of my life,” Fiegen said. “But I also think I am very excited for the opportunity wherever I choose to go and so much growth is going to come with with that, as a person and on the court. … Playing in one of the best conferences in college basketball will just elevate my game.”

Laying the groundwork

Though just recently coming to light, Fiegen’s decision to transfer has been in the works for years.

Fiegen began taking extra courses at Cornell his freshman year to enable a path to early graduation. He took summer classes too, all to keep pace with the 120 credit hours needed to graduate in three years.

“Working ahead is what I found worked best,” Fiegen said. “Getting stuff done on weekends or on bus rides — we have a lot of long bus rides in the Ivy League. Getting as much done then so that during the week I can focus as much as possible on basketball and my development.

“It is a lot of work, but it is manageable when you use your time wisely.”

His academic progress was on track, but to get to where he wanted to go, his basketball progress had to match.

That was a separate and methodical process that Fiegen didn’t take for granted.

“The adjustment to college basketball is never easy,” he said. “If I were at that point (freshman year) to think about where I wanted to be and where I am right now, that would be just incomprehensible. But just putting in the work every day and taking it step by step is what I did. I don’t think there’s another way for me to go about that.”

Making it happen

The in-class and on-court development worked in concert this past school year. Fiegen will graduate Cornell this spring with a degree in economics, a couple of months after a breakthrough college basketball season that saw him average 17.1 points per game and earn First Team All-Ivy League honors.

Fiegen also grabbed 5.1 rebounds a game and shot 54.6% from the floor, including 41.4% from three-point distance. He topped 20 points in a game six times and scored a career-high 33 points against Dartmouth on Jan. 10. He also drained a buzzer-beating three to push Cornell over Yale on Feb. 27.

The resume made Fiegen’s transfer announcement national sporting news, as fanbases nationwide speculate and anticipate their teams’ offseason moves.

But whether it’s Vanderbilt, Virginia, Villanova, Northwestern or an unnamed dark horse, Fiegen’s expectations are the same.

“The main thing is fit and winning,” he said. “I want to go somewhere that I am wanted and where, playing-style-wise, I think I’ll be successful. The fit between the coaches and the players is very important.”

The four programs on Fiegen’s visit schedule play in major NCAA Division I conferences — Virginia in the ACC, Villanova in the Big East, Vanderbilt in the SEC and Northwestern in the Big Ten. That attribute aligns with Fiegen’s goal of reaching the next level.

But he doesn’t want things to end there. Fiegen has his sights set on the level after that, too,

“I want to play as long as possible,” he said. “So I know that, yes, this is a one-year decision, but hopefully if it is done right it will set me up for a long playing career professionally. That’s the main factor and everything else comes second.”

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