Swartz Excited to "Represent My Team and My School"

Cameron Swartz knew something was up as soon as she walked into Power Gym.

She noticed the camera crew shooting footage of the team's shoot around, but that wasn't out of the ordinary. She also noticed a larger number of people milling about, and she mentally took stock that some were helping her with her appeal to the NCAA to help her become immediately eligible.

"There's usually camera people around at practice, but there were a lot more different people (on Tuesday)," she said. "Some of the people that were there were the people that were helping me through my waiver, so I began to assume that I would find out (about eligibility)."

You see, Swartz transferred to Boston College last year after starting her college career at the University of Colorado. By rule, transfers have to sit out two semesters before playing for their new institution but can appeal to the NCAA for immediate eligibility. Swartz did that with help from the university's athletic department staff, but with a week remaining until the team's first game against UMass Lowell, she was starting to become anxious that the season would begin with her on the sidelines.

So her nerves started tingling even more when head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee pulled the team together for a huddle before practice.

"We were all pulled in, and she told us that she had some disappointing news for the scout team," Swartz said. "She asked if anyone heard why, and everyone just started looking around wondering what was wrong. Then she told us that the scout team 'wouldn't have Cam anymore because she is eligible.' Everyone just freaked out after that."

Swartz's eligibility waiver means she will be a part of the Boston College active roster next Tuesday when the Eagles host UMass Lowell. As soon as the announcement came down, the rush of emotions, bottled up over the whole process, flooded out in a wave of smiles and tears.

"I knew I was going to cry if (the waiver) happened, and it did," she said. "I just started crying. It was such a relief that something like that was taken off my shoulders. I was worried that I wasn't going to play, and I wanted to play so badly. We have a game coming up in a week, and I was getting worried that we wouldn't (receive word from the NCAA) in time."

The flood of emotions preceded a wave of jubilance and enthusiasm, followed by elated phone calls and text messages back home to Georgia.

"I called my parents, and they already knew," Swartz said. "Coach called them (on Monday night) and told them, and my mom told my oldest brother and nobody else. My mom told (McNamee) that she wanted me to hear from (the team), but now I've been calling my grandparents and texting all of my family members. They all keep telling me how proud of me that they are and how excited they are to watch me play. My mom stayed up all night looking at tickets and flights for our games. My dad has been big on going to all of these games, and I'm just in shock that it's really happening."

At the end of the day, it provided a spark to the team before even the first game. The excitement of gaining a key asset spilled over to practice, where Swartz shed her scout team jersey and began practicing for regular duty with the Eagles. It provided a little something different to the start of the last week of preseason before BC hosts the River Hawks in its season opener.

"I practiced thinking that I can actually wear a jersey with my name on it," Swartz said. "I get to represent my team and my school. After I settled down and stopped crying, practice felt so different. I wasn't just playing or working hard to sit for the next two months. I get to be a part of pregame warmups, and I'm able to get on the court.

"I had been looking forward to so many different things this year, but I was questioning if I'd experience them with the team," she said. "I'm excited that (now) I can just play the game because it's been a couple of years (since playing consistently). That just made me cry. Everyone was celebrating. It was awesome."

Swartz Excited to "Represent My Team and My School"

Players Mentioned

Cameron Swartz

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