Mark Swasey "Mark is a proven winner with extraordinary leadership skills, a strong work ethic and a passion for the game," said Bruce Kirsh, Vice President and Director of Athletics at the University, upon Swasey's hiring. "I believe he has the ability to lead this program to greater heights over the next few years. Mark is the perfect fit for Franklin Pierce.”
In 2002, Swasey took over a program with a rich history that had hit tough times and has developed it into a regular postseason participant, earning Northeast-10 Conference Tournament appearances in five of his first six years. The Ravens are a combined 74-45 (.622) over the last four years, including the program's first NCAA Northeast Regional title and the first NCAA Tournament berth since 1999 in 2007-08. The team also captured the 2006 ECAC Division II Championship - the program's first postseason championship since the 1991-92 season. Swasey, who has posted a 151-105 (.590) career coaching record over nine years, has proven to be an astute evaluator of talent over his career. That talent has shown at Franklin Pierce as the Ravens have placed players on the NE-10's All-Rookie team three of the last five years. Last year's star recruit, Johannah Leedham, became the first player from the Northeast-10 to be named the State Farm/WBCA Division II Player of the Year in 2007-08 and followed up the first All-American selection in program history in 2006-07 with a second consecutive spot on the Daktronics third team last season. Leedham was also named the Northeast-10 Player of the Year as a sophomore after earning NE-10 Freshman of the Year honors in 2006-07.
In addition to Leedham's two All-America selections, Swasey has coached four All-Northeast-10 selections over his six seasons in Rindge. The Ravens have also performed in the classroom, with five earning NE-10 All-Academic honors since the program was initiated in 2004-05 - led by two-time selection Heather Jacobs, who was recently named head coach at Daniel Webster College. Swasey is active with the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (WBCA) and finished his first year on the Association's Division II Top 25 poll voting committee. Swasey, a native of nearby Charlestown, N.H., came to Franklin Pierce after a successful three-year stay at Norwich University in Northfield, Vt. Swasey posted a 56-26 (.683) record at the University and led the Lady Cadets to three-straight trips to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship game.
In his first season at Norwich, Swasey led the Cadets to an 18-10 record, the GNAC Championship and the first NCAA Division III Tournament bid in program history. The next year he brought along a program which consisted of two seniors, two juniors and nine freshmen to finish with a 17-9 overall record. The team fell in the Conference Championship to eventual NCAA Division III Final Four participant Emmanuel College. In Swasey's final season at Norwich in 2001-02, the Cadets posted a 21-7 clip and earned a trip to the ECAC Tournament after falling to Emmanuel again in the GNAC title game. The Lady Cadets defeated Wellesley College in the first round of the ECAC’s, before falling to Babson College in the semifinals. For his efforts, Swasey was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year by his peers. Swasey's two recruiting classes at Norwich produced the Conference’s Rookie of the Year each of the last two seasons. He brings to Franklin Pierce a recruiting background from several different collegiate levels.
Swasey is no stranger to National Tournament play. Prior to his arrival at Norwich, he was an assistant coach for the 1998-99 Black Hills State University men’s basketball team, a perennial NAIA II powerhouse. That season, the Jackets were one game away from reaching the NAIA II Final Four, falling to the eventual National Champions. Swasey’s roots in the Monadnock Region are strong. He earned his Master’s Degree in education from Keene State College and served as an assistant coach under Keith Boucher during the Owls latter stages of NCAA Division II status from 1992-95. After finishing at Keene State, Swasey moved to South Dakota and began his head coaching career at the high school level. In the 1995 season, Swasey took a girls basketball team that won just two games the previous year to the District 1B Championship. A year later, Swasey moved over to the boys ranks and led the Hill City Rangers to its best seasons on record to that point, including a 16-5 mark and Rushmore Conference Championship in 1997-98. Swasey holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Lyndon State College as well as his Master's in Education from Keene State College. He and his wife, Jennifer, reside in Swanzey along with two daughters, Addison Elizabeth (5) and Avery Marie (2). Swasey's Mark
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