Justin Swidowski spent two basketball seasons as an inside force for Holy Family University. He left after his sophomore year and former rivals may not have been sad to see him leave NCAA Division 2.
The 6-foot-9 Swidowski headed north to Bridgeport, Conn., and Sacred Heart University. He sat out last season (NCAA regulation) as a transfer from Division 2 to a Division 1 program. His career resumed this season and he's made an impact as a junior at Sacred Heart, a member of the Northeast Conference.
Swidowski, a 2008 graduate of Holy Cross High School, is starting for Sacred Heart. He recently missed three games because of a shoulder injury, then returned to the lineup Jan. 28 and played 26 minutes in an 81-80 loss to Mount St. Mary's. Swidowski had 10 points and five rebounds.
Prior to being hurt — four minutes into the game — against St. Francis (Pa.), Swidowski had started 18 of 19 games. He already had two rebounds in the early going of what became a 71-68 win for Sacred Heart. He leads the Pioneers in rebounding (5.5 per game) and blocked shots (22 total), and is second in scoring (11.6 points).
His best games include an 82-80 overtime loss to Central Connecticut in which he had 21 points and 10 rebounds. Swidowski had 14 points and 11 rebounds in a 71-60 loss to, of all teams, Holy Cross.
That game may have brought back some memories. The College of Holy Cross is the Crusaders and Swidowski was a Lancer in high school. As a senior, he made All-Burlington County after leading Holy Cross to a 18-9 record.
Swidowski averaged 17.8 points that season and finished his career with 1,079. He had Division 1 options but family issues (health-related) led him to stay close to his Cinnaminson home. That's how and why he wound up in northeast Philadelphia at Holy Family.
He averaged 16.1 points and 8 rebounds as a freshman, earning Rookie of the Year honors in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference and ECAC Division 2. The next year saw Swidowski average 24.1 points and 9.9 rebounds, resulting in a first-team all-CACC selection.
