Princess Swilley is one of three freshmen joining the Lady Tiger basketball team this year and is holding her own on the court.
Swilley's intensity and hustle on the court has gotten her noticed by fans, coaches and teammates.
Her love for basketball came long before any thoughts of playing for The U of M.
Swilley's sister, who is 10 years her senior, started grooming her for basketball when she was in kindergarten.
"I practiced everyday with her," Swilley said.
Swilley's dedication continued into her high school career.
At Hazlehurst High School in Mississippi, she competed in softball, basketball and track.
As a freshmen at HHS, she was honored with the Rookie of the Year award.
Throughout her high school career, she was awarded most valuable
player and best offensive player.
She was also added to the all-state and all-district teams and received several all-team tournament honors.
When it came time to decide on a college, Swilley said The U of M was her first choice.
Once she met with the Lady Tiger basketball team, she knew she had made the right decision.
"When I came to visit, the players and the coaches were close, like family," Swilley said. "It was the place I wanted to be, where everyone was treated with respect."
Swilley has quickly earned her respect this season.
Head coach Joye Lee-McNelis cited her for her intensity and ability to make things happen.
Swilley's determination has made up for her lack of experience at the college level.
After suffering from a concussion at practice Nov. 28, she had 15 points and eight steals against the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Swilley said the support of her teammates and coaches are the reason for her constant improvement.
"Everyone lifts you up," Swilley said. "That is what I like about this team. It's not just one person that takes you under their wing. It's the whole team."
Despite her continuing improvement, Swilley said she has a long way to go before she fulfills her potential.
"Right now I don't feel that I'm near where I could be," Swilley said. "I have a great coaching staff and I am very confident that I am going to get a lot better."
Swilley wants to be the best that she can be.
She wants to pursue a career in radiology, but noted that for now basketball remains at the top of her list.
In Sunday's game against the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Swilley was the leading scorer with 24 points. Again, Swilley etched her name in the record books by making an amazing 92 percent of her field goals.
That is the third best shooting performance in a game by a Lady Tiger.
The Lady Tigers will take on the Tulane Green Wave at the "Jungle" on Jan. 19 at 7 p.m.
