News Summary
Portsmouth native Courtney Swider has transferred to Wofford College after two seasons at the University of Richmond. Meanwhile, her brother Connor Swider has committed to Youngstown State, continuing the family legacy in collegiate basketball. Both players are expected to make significant contributions in their respective programs, showcasing the talent emerging from the Basketball Club Rhode Island.
Portsmouth native Courtney Swider has announced her transfer to Wofford College in South Carolina. After playing two seasons at the University of Richmond, Swider has decided to further her college basketball career with the Terriers, following a year in which she averaged one point per game across 11 appearances for the Richmond Spiders, who were the Atlantic 10 champions with a remarkable 29-win season.
Meanwhile, Connor Swider, also from Portsmouth, has committed to Youngstown State after concluding his recruitment on Wednesday. As a 6-foot-9 shooting forward currently preparing at Worcester Academy, he made his decision to join the Penguins following an official visit. Connor had previously explored options at Le Moyne and received offers from several other schools, including Fairfield and Bryant.
Worcester Academy, where Connor continues to hone his basketball skills, has a history of producing notable players, such as TJ Power (Duke), Tre Norman (Marquette), and Kayvaun Mulready (Georgetown). Furthermore, Connor Swider is the youngest of four siblings, which he states has contributed to his competitive nature; he has a “chip on his shoulder” from being the youngest in the family. His brother, Cole Swider, is entering his third season in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers after a college career at Villanova and Syracuse. Cole began his NBA journey with the Los Angeles Lakers and played 18 games with the Miami Heat during the 2023-24 season. Their sister, Kylie Swider, who graduated from Villanova, is set to play her final collegiate season at Stonehill due to a COVID-19 waiver.
Both Swiders are part of a trend from the Basketball Club Rhode Island program, which has seen several players transition to Division I programs recently. Among those are Smithfield native Jack Graham (at Richmond) and former Bishop Hendricken guards Azmar Abdullah (Boston University) and Eze Wali (High Point). Additionally, former Westerly standout Jawarie Hamelin has committed to New Hampshire after spending two seasons at Monroe Community College in New York.
Connor Swider will join a Youngstown State team known for its competitive edge, having finished over .500 in each of the past five seasons. Notably, the Penguins have achieved 20 wins in the past two seasons and secured a conference regular-season title in the 2022-23 season. In the most recent season, Youngstown State finished as the runner-up to Oakland. The team is transitioning to a new head coach, Ethan Faulkner, after the previous coach, Jerrod Calhoun, was hired by Utah State. This change marks the beginning of Faulkner’s first season at the helm.
In summary, Courtney Swider’s transfer to Wofford College coincides with Connor Swider’s commitment to Youngstown State, highlighting their ongoing journeys in collegiate basketball from their Portsmouth roots. Both players are set to make significant contributions at their respective schools and continue the legacy of talent emerging from the Basketball Club Rhode Island program.
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Additional Resources
- ABC6: Courtney Swider to Transfer to Wofford
- Providence Journal: Connor Swider Commits to Youngstown State
- Richmond Spiders: Women’s Basketball Signs Three
- Newport RI: Top Newport County Sports Scene
- Patch: Portsmouth Middle School Honor Roll
- Wikipedia: College Basketball
- Google Search: Basketball Recruitment
- Google Scholar: Collegiate Basketball
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Basketball
- Google News: College Basketball News
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