NU adds Olah, Swopshire to roster

EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern head men's basketball coach Bill Carmody has announced the addition of Alex Olah and Jared Swopshire to the Wildcats' roster for the 2012-13 season.

Swopshire, a 6-foot-8 forward, has one season of eligibility remaining after transferring from the University of Louisville. He will be able to compete next season after appearing in 39 of Louisville's 40 games during the 2011-12 campaign. He made a pair of starts in Big East play and helped the Cardinals win the Big East tournament title and reach the Final Four, averaging 3.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per contest. In Louisville's Big East tourney win over Marquette, Swopshire grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds. He knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and collected two steals in a Sweet 16 round win over Michigan State in the NCAA tournament.

Swopshire missed all of the 2010-11 season after sustaining an off-season groin injury that required surgery. His best season with the Cardinals came as a sophomore during the 2009-10 campaign when he started 20 contests and averaged 7.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

In three seasons overall at Louisville, Swopshire appeared in 109 games with a total of 23 starts.

"We're excited to welcome Jared to the program," Carmody said. "He is a versatile player who brings Final Four experience to our roster. He has the ability to play multiple positions and will be an impact player on both ends of the court."

A 7-foot center, Olah helped lead Traders Point Christian Academy to two consecutive Indiana Christian Schools (ICST) state championships. He averaged 18.5 points, 13.1 rebounds and 4.6 blocked shots per game as a prep senior. Last summer, Olah led his native Romania in scoring, blocked shots and rebounding at the 2011 FIBA U18 European Championship in Bulgaria.

"With the addition of Alex, we add a powerful and talented big man to the team," said Carmody. "Alex has a unique combination of size and skill and he has continued to improve in allaspects of his game."

Olah is the third member of the Wildcats' incoming freshman class, joining Kale Abrahamson (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley) and Sanjay Lumpkin (Wayzata, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) who signed letters of intent during the early signing period last November. The trio joins redshirts Tre Demps and Mike Turner in Northwestern's freshman class for 2012-13. Forward Nikola Cerina (TCU) joins Swopshire as transfers who are eligible to play for the Wildcats next season, giving NU a total of seven newcomers.

Alex Olah

Center

7-0, 275

Timisoara, Romania/Traders Point Christian Academy (Zionsville, Ind.)

High School: Averaged 18.5 points, 13.1 rebounds and 4.6 blocked shots per game while shooting 65 percent from the field as a prep senior … Helped guide the Golden Eagles to a 27-5 record as a senior and a second consecutive Indiana Christian Schools (ICST) state championship … Posted 28 points-shooting 14-for-15 from the field-with 19 rebounds and seven blocked shots against St. Francis de Sales … Team captain … Competed for the International All-Stars at the 2012 Northwest Indiana All-Star Classic … Played for Romania at the 2011 FIBA U18 European Championships in Bulgaria, leading the team with averages of 16.7 points, 14.0 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game, posting double-doubles in six of the team's seven games … Rebounding average ranked second in Division B, while blocks average was third and scoring average was seventh … Posted tournament highs of 20 rebounds against Portugal and 23 points against Norway … Honor roll student … High school coach was Dave Jamerson.

Personal: Born Alexandru Lucian Olah on 10/15/93… Son of Lucian and Adriana Olah.

Jared Swopshire

Forward

6-8, 205

St. Louis, Mo./IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)/Louisville

2011-12 (At Louisville): Appeared in 39 contests, helping the Cardinals reach the Final Four … Grabbed acareer-high 12 rebounds against Marquette in the Big East quarterfinals … Averaged 3.8 points and 4.5 rebounds and made 9-of-11 free throws (.818) for the four games of the BIG EAST Championship … Had a key assist and buried just his second three-pointer of the season in the closing minutes against Villanova to help seal a victory, totaling six points and three rebounds in 14 minutes … Contributed nine points and two blocked shots against Connecticut … Grabbed nine rebounds at St. John's in 19 minutes of action, adding four points and two assists … Made first start since his sophomore season against USF on Senior Night and contributed three rebounds and a steal … Also started at Syracuse, producing four points and five rebounds …Gathered five or more rebounds eight times, including five rebounds and four points off the bench against Davidson in the NCAA Championship Second Round … In first official game after missing all of the 2010-11 season, came off the bench to produce eight points, five rebounds vs. UT Martin … Had a game-high 13 points and eight rebounds vs. Lamar … Had 10 points and six rebounds vs. Long Beach State.

2010-11 (At Louisville): Missed entire season due to injury.

2009-10 (At Louisville): Appeared in 33 games, starting 20 … Grabbed at least seven rebounds in 16 games and scored in double digits on 12 occasions … Ranked sixth in the Big East in free throw percentage (.840) … Totaled 10 points and eight rebounds against then No. 1 Syracuse … Produced eight points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals at Connecticut-all coming in the second half except for two of the assists … Tied a career-best with five assists against DePaul, adding five points, seven rebounds and two steals- his third game with multiple steals last season … Had 12 points, nine rebounds and a career-high three blocked shots against Notre Dame … Contributed 10 points, five rebounds and two assists at Syracuse … Totaled 13 points, eight rebounds and a career-high five assists vs. Rutgers … Had 10 points and four rebounds at Kentucky … Had nine points and nine rebounds vs. UConn … Scored eight points, handed out three assists and a season-high 11 rebounds at Providence … Had 12 points, seven rebounds and matched a career-best with three steals against USF in the Cardinals' Big East Conference opener … Scored a career-high 13 points and grabbed six rebounds against Radford … Had 12 points and seven rebounds against Western Carolina … Produced first career double-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and two assists against Arkansas in a return to his home city of St. Louis, Mo., in the team's season-opener.

2008-09 (At Louisville): Saw action in all 37 games … Had five points, three rebounds and a steal against DePaul … Made first career start vs. UAB and responded with a season-high eight points and four rebounds in 14 minutes (4-of-5 FG) … Grabbed a season-high eight rebounds against South Alabama … Scored seven points vs. Lamar, adding two rebounds in nine minutes of action … Posted a double-double in an exhibition game against Georgetown College (14 points, 11 rebounds).

High School: Averaged 22.1 points, 9.2 rebounds as a senior at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. … Ranked as the No. 75 prospect in the nation by Scout.com; No. 93 by USA Today recruiting analyst Rob Harrington; No. 94 in the ESPN 150; No. 95 in the CBS College Sports Top 100; and 131st nationally by Rivals (No. 20 small forward) … All-tournament selection in the 2006 Pepsi Shootout in Naples, Fla., when he was also named the ESPN Player of the Game for his performance in the event … Named MVP of his Florida team in the Senior Showcase basketball game after scoring 25 points against a Team USA squad (3/23/08) … Averaged 20.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.8 blocked shots as a junior in helping IMG Academy produce a 19-3 record … played his freshman and sophomore years of high school at Fort Zumwalt West High School in O'Fallon, Mo.

Personal: Born on 10/17/89 … Son of Teddy and Diane Swopshire … Younger twin sisters, Janna and Jasmine, are members of the women's basketball team at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.