UTEP basketball team adds British swingman
Josh McSwiggan, a 6-7, 200-pound forward/guard and a member of the Great Britain National Team, has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at UTEP and will join the Miners as a freshman for the 2015-16 season.
He is rated eighth in the country among players born in 1995 by Hoopsfix.com.
“We are excited to sign Josh today,” UTEP Coach Tim Floyd said. “He brings tremendous athleticism and skill to our program. He can play both wing positions at 6-7. He has great length and the ability to shoot from deep range. He has gotten some outstanding experience playing in England. He is an exceptional student-athlete who will represent UTEP well.”
McSwiggan is currently playing for Charnwood College in Loughborough, Leicestershire. He is averaging 19.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, two assists, 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks in the EABL (Elite Academy Basketball League). He is shooting 55 percent from the field and 79 percent from the line. As recently as March 19, McSwiggan had a 33-point, 17-rebound, five steal game. He was the 2012-13 Charnwood College Riders Under-18 MVP and the 2013-14 Under-19 Coaches Player of the Year. His current coach at Charnwood College is Josh Merrington.
He was a member of the Under-14 national championship team. He has won two gold medals in England’s regional competition and has been a part of England’s Under-16, Under-17, Under-18 and Under-20 squads. Last year he averaged 14 points and five boards for the Under-20 team.
McSwiggan participated in the Luol Deng Camp, earning MVP honors when he was 15. He was also recognized as the eighth-best player in the country at the Luol Deng Camp.
On weekends, McSwiggan is a member of the Loughborough Student Riders club team that competes in Basketball England National League Division 2. He is averaging 8.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.4 steals for his club team with a .450 field goal percentage and .800 free throw percentage. The team is coached by Mark Jarram, who has been working with McSwiggan for the last three years including one year (2013-14) at Charnwood College.
“We are all really excited for Josh and the beginning of this next chapter for him at UTEP,” Jarram said. “After he returned from the visit and spoke very highly of the coaching staff and the time he spent with the current roster, Josh said he could see himself excelling in the environment at UTEP and under the guidance of Coach Floyd. We feel comfortable that it is the right place to help him develop in the next stage of his career.
“Josh is a very athletic wing. His skillset allows him to be a real offensive threat with the ability to score in multiple ways, both getting to the basket and with his jump shot. His athleticism allows him to be a great rebounder from the wing position and alongside his 6-7 frame, allows him to guard multiple positions. He is a very versatile young player. He is a great kid with a lot of potential — a player who thrives in a challenging and competitive environment. We are really excited about what he can offer UTEP basketball.”
Source: UTEP Athletics
