KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Kayley Swinton, a 5-11 forward/post from Haines High School in Haines, Alaska has signed with Oregon Tech and will play basketball for the Lady Owls next season as announced today by Head Coach Scott Meredith.
Swinton’s recruitment to the Lady Owls was somewhat unconventional compared to other recruits this season. Coach Meredith shared, “I walked out of our gym one evening a couple months ago and there was this kid shooting baskets by herself. I watched two shots and knew she had played somewhere. I invited her to an open-gym where I watched her play. It was obvious she had been coached and I liked what I saw in her game. Soon after I offered her a spot on our roster and she accepted.” Already a freshman on campus, Swinton followed her older brother (former Tech golfer, Tyler) to Oregon Tech because of the quality of its medical programs. “She became our 5
th and final recruit of the year. It’s a great story.”
Swinton was a two-time all-state selection at Haines HS in basketball, 3
rd team her junior year and 2
nd team her senior year. During her senior season, she served as team captain and averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds per game while leading Coach Greg Brittenham’s Glacier Bears to a 4
th place finish in the Region 5 Conference. She was an all-tournament selection at the Cordova Tip-off tournament as well as the Little Norway tournament in Petersburg, Alaska.
“Kayley has unlimited potential,” stated Meredith. “Her fundamental skill level is high, especially considering she sat out a year. She has a beautiful jump shot with a high release point. She quickly gelled with our returning players and is a great addition to our team. I’m excited to see what she will be able to do once she gets in basketball shape again.”
Valedictorian of her class at Haines HS, Swinton currently has a 4.0 GPA at Oregon Tech and is majoring in Health Sciences with the career goal of becoming a Physical Therapist. She is the daughter of Sarah and Ralph Swinton of Haines, Alaska. Her mother Sarah (Olerud) Swinton is in the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame for basketball.