MORAGA, Calif. - Saint Mary's Women's Basketball is pleased to announce the hiring of Rachel Swartz as an assistant coach for the program. Swartz comes to the Gaels after two seasons as head coach of the Women's Basketball program at Division-II Davis and Elkins College.
 
"I am beyond honored to be joining the Saint Mary's Women's Basketball family and thankful to Coach Paul Thomas for giving me this opportunity," Swartz said. "Coach Thomas's knowledge of the game, attention to detail, and his ability to maintain success at a high-level is evident. He wants to win each moment, each day, and that's exactly what I want to be a part of."
 
Swartz became the head coach for the Senators in 2020-21 after working with Everett Community College as an assistant coach. There she helped ECC to a 15-15 mark in her last season, one of the best seasons of the past decade while working with head coach Chet Hovade. She worked in all game day and travel operations, scouting, player development, and recruiting during her time with the Trojans.
 
Prior to her time at Everett Community College, Swartz worked with head coach Michelle Ferenz at Whitman College, primarily working in camp development operations, equipment inventory, player development, and student-athlete recruiting.
 
Swartz played four years of collegiate basketball at Missouri State University of the Missouri Valley Conference under head coach Kellie Harper. The former Bears center played from 2013-17 and ranks 12th in program history in games played with 124. With the Bears, she played on two WNIT teams, a Missouri Valley Conference tournament championship team in 2016, as well as their NCAA tournament squad. Swartz graduated from Missouri State with a degree in Communications. where she helped the Lady Bears to a conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016.
 
"Following my playing career at Missouri State University, I've always been drawn to basketball programs at more intimate, private liberal arts colleges," Swartz added. "I love the dynamic of blending academic excellence with elite athletic achievement in a tight knit, supportive environment. Saint Mary's is a place that takes pride in both and I'm privileged to join a staff who emphasizes championing more areas than one."
 
Swartz began her coaching career at East Tennessee State as a graduate assistant, helping the Bucs advance to the WNIT in 2017-18. She went on to become a graduate assistant at Drury University, working with head coach Molly Miller. Assisting in all facets of the program, Swartz helped guide the program to a stellar 35-1 season in 2018-19. The Panthers won their third consecutive Great Lakes Valley Conference crown that season, pushing their undefeated record to 31-0 at the time, before later advancing to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.  

A native of Stanwood, Washington, Swartz averaged a double-double in her junior and senior high school seasons. She helped Stanwood High School to a 25-3 record in her senior year and was named to several All-Star teams representing the state of Washington.
 
Swartz, a member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), graduated from Missouri State in 2016 with a degree in communications before earning her masters from Drury in July 2019. She ranks 12th in Missouri State history with 124 games played and minored in political science and sociology during her undergraduate career.