The Wildcats strike early in recruiting with the addition of skilled forward, Trystan Swiger.

Swiger, standing 6’1”, 185-pounds, is a left-handed forward that comes from Tigard, Oregon. He spent his two-prior seasons in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL-PR) playing for the Islanders Hockey Club. The Islanders had a strong season, finishing second in the New England Conference with 68 league points, falling just short of the eventual National Champions, Northern Cyclones (73 league points). The Islanders went on to qualify for the USPHL-PR National Championship tournament in Utica, New York, but were ultimately eliminated by the Toledo Cherokee.

Swiger had a bit of a breakout season, finishing second on the team in points with 44 (16 goals, 28 assists) in 42 games played. Swiger had this to say about his commitment to the University of Arizona:

“I chose the University of Arizona because of the location, weather, and phenomenal business program,” said Trystan Swiger. “I am also proud to be a part of such an exciting team. I believe the experience of being a student-athlete at the University of Arizona is unbeatable.”

Swiger is the type of player that can be used up and down the lineup, in all situations, with the versatility to play wing or center. However, it is the versatility of his skill set that has coach Berman so excited.

“I think Trystan can impact our lineup in a lot of different ways,” said coach Berman. “He brings skill, vision, speed, and can play with a bit of an edge. Looking over his last few years, he has taken big steps of improvement each season. I don’t think we have even scratched the surface of what he can become. We wanted to add scoring and grit to our depth, but it was most important to us that we added competitive forwards who can win puck battles. If there was anything we learned at the National tournament, it was that we need to get harder on pucks. Add to the fact that Trystan is very skilled too, that’s a home run for us. We are really excited to add him to the mix and feel like we got one step better.”

The #11 Arizona Wildcats will hit the ice again in September with a large portion of their core players returning. Stay tuned for further recruiting updates as we gear towards what is shaping up to be a highly anticipated 2023-24 season!