Bianca Jackson and Cameron Swartz may be new to Georgia Tech’s roster, but they’re not new to college basketball and they’re not new to the ACC, either. Coach Nell Fortner will rely on both of the transfers for production and leadership as her fourth season with the Yellow Jackets approaches.
“They’re not freshmen. They’re not sophomores,” Fortner said at a news conference at the ACC Tipoff last week in Charlotte, N.C. “They’ve been through this, and they understand it, and they want to win. They want to win this year. So they know the importance of their leadership in that regard to bringing this team together.”
A guard, Jackson transferred to Tech from Florida State after beginning her career at South Carolina. She has played in 102 games in her career, played in three NCAA Tournaments and led the Seminoles in scoring in the 2019-20 season. Swartz, also a guard completing her career at her third school (starting at Colorado and transferring to Boston College), started 71 games in three seasons with the Eagles. She averaged 12.9 points per game in her three seasons and peaked to 16.1 last season, when she was named first-team All-ACC and was named the league’s most improved player. With their one extra COVID-19 year of eligibility in their pockets, both decided on Tech.
At the ACC Tipoff event, Jackson and Swartz listed different factors for selecting Tech after going into the transfer portal, such as the family atmosphere and a chance for a fresh start. It’s also a homecoming for Swartz, who is from Marietta and played at Fellowship Christian. Tech’s recent on-court success was also important to both.
Said Swartz, who has never played in the NCAA tournament, “That’s what I dream about doing.”
The two have already connected. They were AAU teammates before college and then faced each other in the ACC the past two seasons. The two roomed together this past summer.
With the graduation of two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year Lorela Cubaj and leading scorer Lotta-Maj Lahtinen, among others, and the addition of Jackson and Swartz, Fortner has said that she wants to play a faster pace and kick up scoring. Tech averaged 60.9 points per game last season, 237th in Division I. The Jackets excelled at the other end, finishing sixth in the country in scoring defense at 52.7 points per game. The Jackets’ defensive might led to their second consecutive NCAA appearance, a first for the team since making the field six years in a row 2007-12.
Tech’s departures likely factored in the team being picked to finish eighth in the ACC in the conference’s preseason media poll. The lowest that Tech has finished in its three seasons with Fortner is seventh, in her first season (2019-20).
With a change in personnel, Fortner will count on Jackson and Swartz to help the Jackets quicken their pace and boost scoring.
“I think it’s something that players can have fun with,” Fortner said. “It’s more fun to play. And we’re not looking to run 20 seconds off the shot clock. We want to get down there and shoot the ball, and these two can shoot the ball.”
Tech begins the season Nov. 10 at home against Georgia State. The 10-game nonconference schedule includes at least three games against power-conference opponents (Georgia, Auburn and Michigan State) and potentially two more in a Thanksgiving tournament in Florida. It’s a heavy load entering ACC play.
“But it’s something that the team has to be able to look at and go, ‘OK, man, this is challenging,’” Fortner said. “‘We’ve got to get ourselves ready.’”
Daily Jackets: The AJC presents a daily look at one news item about Georgia Tech athletics to start your morning.
About the Author
