Swedlund’s transfer a coup for UT

Bella Swedlund was not a stranger to the University of Toledo.

During her recruitment as a phenom out of Winner High School, not far from the South Dakota-Nebraska border, the Rockets were hot on Swedlund’s heels. But when Kansas and Illinois offered the 5-foot-8 guard, Toledo assumed it would lose out to one of the Power Five schools.

Those fears were proven correct in June of 2021 when Swedlud committed to the Jayhawks. But after just half a season in Lawrence, Swedlund decided to enter the transfer portal in December.

Calls with 419 area codes soon began appearing on Swedlund’s phone. She already had relationships with assistant coaches Jessie Ivey, Mark Stephens, and Danielle Paige, as well as head coach Tricia Cullop. They all picked up where they left off.

“That made it easy to relate the second time around,” Swedlund said. “I really liked them when they first recruited me. Really good people. Staff never left, which was even better.”

At Cullop’s urging, Swedlund attended UT’s win over Western Michigan. She toured the team’s facilities the next day and committed. Last Monday, Swedlund officially became a Toledo student. She is practicing with the Rockets and will have four seasons of eligibility.

“Coach Cullop wants me to play,” Swedlund said. “She believes in me. She thinks I fit in well.

“It was nice to hear someone believe in me and think I can make an impact. It was one of those things like, you matter. As soon as I got that feeling from her and saw how the women’s basketball program is treated, that really topped it off.”

One could define Toledo’s signing of Swedlund as a coup. She was the No. 25-ranked point guard in the class of 2022, a caliber of player that rarely attends MAC programs.

The plan was for Swedlund to redshirt this season, so she did not play in a single game at Kansas.

Swedlund noted that there are no hard feelings with Kansas, explaining that she was buried on the depth chart and just wanted an opportunity to play. Once it became a now-or-later situation, she knew the quicker she moved on, the better for her career.

Swedlund was a South Dakota high school legend, scoring 2,256 points and leading Winner to three state semifinals and the 2019 Class A state championship. She was named first team all-state three times and holds nearly every offensive school record. As a senior, she averaged 22.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.7 steals per game. And those were actually down from a sensational junior season: 22.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 3.1 steals.

“We are thrilled she’s now a Rocket,” Cullop said. “Offensively, she will bring an amazing scoring ability at all three levels, as well as terrific court vision. She hails from a very successful high school program and is a proven winner. Her skill set aligns well with our style of play and she’s a perfect fit with the high-character people and strong students already on our roster.”

The Rockets were already loaded for next season, with Quinesha Lockett, Sophia Wiard, Sammi Mikonowicz, Khera Goss, Nan Garcia, Jessica Cook, and Lonasia Brewer all coming back. Hannah Noveroske, the MAC’s sixth person of the year last season, will return after missing 2022-23 with a knee injury.

Add one of the top high school players in the country and perhaps another player from the transfer portal, and there’s strong evidence that Toledo could be even better next season.

“Having really good teammates is just a bonus,” Swedlund said.

One of the biggest recruiting tools Cullop has is Toledo’s fan support, which is why she wanted Swedlund to attend a game. There were 3,748 people in attendance on a dreary Wednesday night in January.

Kansas averages less than half of what Toledo draws.

“Obviously, she was correct,” Swedlund said. “Facility-wise, there is no difference. When I went into the portal, I had to think, OK, you’re not at a Power Five anymore. Are you OK with that? When I came to Toledo, it was like, OK, there is no difference at all. Women’s basketball is a priority here. They treat women equally. It was like, OK, yep, this is where I want to be. It made the decision easy.

“I’m excited for a new adventure. I love to challenge myself.”

Contact Kyle Rowland at krowland@theblade.com or on Twitter @KyleRowland.