Franklin-Simpson senior Rachel Swisher

On the eve of opening play in her final Fourth Region Tournament, Franklin-Simpson senior Rachel Swisher verbally committed to play basketball next year at Belmont, an NCAA Division I school in Nashville.

Belmont offered the 6-foot-2 Swisher a scholarship and she accepted Monday. She will officially sign a National Letter of Intent next month during the spring signing period.

The decision couldn’t have come at a better time for Swisher, whose Lady Cats open regional play tonight against Greenwood.

&#8220It’s kind of been stressing me out,” Swisher said. &#8220I’m glad I don’t have to keep worrying about it.”

Swisher transferred to Franklin-Simpson last year after spending the first part of her career at Warren East.

She helped the Lady Cats win the 2006 Fourth Region championship – their first since 1987. Franklin-Simpson finished as region runner-up in 2005.

&#8220She came in and was the missing piece of the puzzle,” Franklin-Simpson coach Lex Lindsey said. &#8220She gave us that inside post presence that we were lacking. It’s been a fun ride with her ever since she got here.”

Swisher has scored over 1,300 points in her career.

She is also the team’s leader in 3-point shooting percentage.

Her outside shot helped secure her spot on Belmont’s roster.

&#8220They run a four-out and one-in offense,” Lindsey said. &#8220So you have to be able to shoot the ball in that offense. That’s a big part of the reason why they liked her.”

Lindsey said Swisher will likely play power forward for Belmont.

In order to go from being a good high school player to a good college player, Swisher said she will have to make some improvements.

&#8220I’m going to have to get stronger – I’m kind of weak right now,” Swisher said. &#8220I also need to get better on defense and rebounding.”

The Bruins were the first squad to offer Swisher a scholarship.

&#8220They had been talking to me for a while and they finally invited me down. When I went there, I just fell in love with it,” Swisher said. &#8220Everybody’s family on the team. The school is in a big town, but they’re campus is secluded and everybody knows each other.”

Belmont finished the regular season 22-6 overall and won its third Atlantic Sun Conference regular season title in the past four years with a 16-2 league record.