Hall of Fame
Melvin Swift was a member of the men’s basketball program, best known for his three-point shooting. Swift competed for the Rangers during the 1987-88 and 1988-89 seasons, where he achieved many accomplishments and cemented his legacy within the Ranger basketball program.
Swift was a two-year student-athlete at Northwestern from 1987-1989. He made an immediate impact in his first season, helping lead the Rangers to both a 17–11 record - their first outright conference championship in more than 40 years - and an appearance in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference (OIC) District 9 semifinals. One of the defining moments of his career came when he hit his then school-record seventh three-pointer at the buzzer to defeat nationally-ranked Oklahoma City University.
In two seasons with the Rangers, Swift helped lead Northwestern to back-to-back winning seasons. He was a starter in both years under head coach Bob Battisti and earned All-OIC honors each season, receiving first-team recognition both years.
Swift concluded his Ranger career averaging 17.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 47.3 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from three-point range, and 82.7 percent from the free-throw line. He also recorded 35 steals during his career. At the end of his Northwestern career, Swift held the school records for most three-pointers in a game (7), in a season (66), and in a career (92).
Swift currently serves as the security supervisor at the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in Houston, Texas.
