Ketia Swanier
Encyclopedia
Naketia "Ketia" Marie Swanier (born August 10, 1986 in Columbus, Georgia
) is an American professional basketball player. She currently plays the guard position for the Phoenix Mercury
in the WNBA.
. She finished her career as the only player in UConn history to rank among the top 10 career leaders in games played, assists and steals. Swanier won the inaugural Big East Sixth Man of the Year Award as a senior coming off the bench behind Renee Montgomery
.
in the 2008 WNBA Draft
. She played in 25 of 34 possible games, with 6 starts. She ranked 14th in the league in steals per 40 minutes (2.24). On June 1 Swanier was waived by the Connecticut Sun
because of the 11-woman roster cuts. The next day she was signed by the Phoenix Mercury
.
. Both of her parents Cornell and Rosie Swanier were in the military while Ketia was growing up.
Ketia4Kidz Foundation, Inc is a 501(c)3 non profit organization created to provide tangible support to the children of deployed and severely injured active duty military service members of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Foundation will provide enrichment activities and tutoring that nurture and sustain the children during the time a parent[s] is away in service to our country. The Foundation intends to promote excellence in academics to all school age children on worldwide military installations. The Foundation will seek to foster opportunities for college scholarships through enhancing and strengthening participation in local military communities youth recreation programs.
The Foundation will concentrate its educational and outreach activities on military installations and in local military communities most directly affected by worldwide deployments. Resources will be directed toward military and veteran organizations that work principally with these groups through volunteers.
The Foundation will also conduct educational and outreach activities through its primary creator, Ketia Swanier. She will provide time, knowledge, valuable experience and guidance through mentoring programs to meet the foundations mission. These programs will include visits to Military Installations, Hospitals and Fisher Houses that house wounded soldiers of Iraq and Afghanistan and their families. Activities will include motivating children to achieve their goals and dreams by promoting excellence in academics and sports related programs. These programs will include reading, study skills, life skills and goal setting.
The Foundation will fund its educational and outreach activities with the financial assistance of government grants, foundations, individual donors and corporate donations. http://ketia4kidz.org/
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
) is an American professional basketball player. She currently plays the guard position for the Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
in the WNBA.
College career
Swanier was the only freshman to open the season as UConn's starting point guardPoint guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
. She finished her career as the only player in UConn history to rank among the top 10 career leaders in games played, assists and steals. Swanier won the inaugural Big East Sixth Man of the Year Award as a senior coming off the bench behind Renee Montgomery
Renee Montgomery
Renee Danielle Montgomery is an American basketball player who won a national championship with the UConn Huskies in 2009. She currently plays for the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA.-High school:...
.
WNBA career
Swanier was selected 12th overall by the Connecticut SunConnecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun is a professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Orlando, Florida before the 1999 season began; the team moved to Connecticut before the 2003 season...
in the 2008 WNBA Draft
2008 WNBA Draft
The 2008 WNBA Draft is the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league. The draft was held on April 9, 2008....
. She played in 25 of 34 possible games, with 6 starts. She ranked 14th in the league in steals per 40 minutes (2.24). On June 1 Swanier was waived by the Connecticut Sun
Connecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun is a professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Orlando, Florida before the 1999 season began; the team moved to Connecticut before the 2003 season...
because of the 11-woman roster cuts. The next day she was signed by the Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
.
Overseas career
She is currently playing for Rybnik in Poland during the 2008–09 WNBA off-season.Ketia4Kidz
In 2008 she founded her own foundation called Ketia4kidz. Her foundation benefits kids of military children. Ketia is an 18 year military bratMilitary brat
A military brat describes people who spend their childhood or adolescence while a parent serve full-time in the armed forces, and can also refer to the unique subculture and lifestyle of American military brats, the term refers to both current and former children of such families.Lifestyle: The...
. Both of her parents Cornell and Rosie Swanier were in the military while Ketia was growing up.
Ketia4Kidz Foundation, Inc is a 501(c)3 non profit organization created to provide tangible support to the children of deployed and severely injured active duty military service members of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Foundation will provide enrichment activities and tutoring that nurture and sustain the children during the time a parent[s] is away in service to our country. The Foundation intends to promote excellence in academics to all school age children on worldwide military installations. The Foundation will seek to foster opportunities for college scholarships through enhancing and strengthening participation in local military communities youth recreation programs.
The Foundation will concentrate its educational and outreach activities on military installations and in local military communities most directly affected by worldwide deployments. Resources will be directed toward military and veteran organizations that work principally with these groups through volunteers.
The Foundation will also conduct educational and outreach activities through its primary creator, Ketia Swanier. She will provide time, knowledge, valuable experience and guidance through mentoring programs to meet the foundations mission. These programs will include visits to Military Installations, Hospitals and Fisher Houses that house wounded soldiers of Iraq and Afghanistan and their families. Activities will include motivating children to achieve their goals and dreams by promoting excellence in academics and sports related programs. These programs will include reading, study skills, life skills and goal setting.
The Foundation will fund its educational and outreach activities with the financial assistance of government grants, foundations, individual donors and corporate donations. http://ketia4kidz.org/
External links
- WNBA Player Profile
- ketia4kidz foundation http://ketia4kidz.org/