PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers women's soccer junior back Chantelle Swaby is the latest Scarlet Knight to join the international ranks, competing for the Jamaican Women's Senior National Team at the CONCACAF Caribbean Championships last month.
 
"R family is excited for Chantelle and this wonderful opportunity to play for Jamaica," said Associate Head Coach Meghan Ryan. "To be able to represent your country and play at the highest level speaks volumes about Chantelle on and off the field.
 
"Since she has come in her freshmen year, Chantelle has worked hard to develop her game and she has prepared herself for this moment.  We know she will represent her family, this program and the University to her fullest. We will be cheering her on with great pride." 
 
After aiding the team in qualifying for the Caribbean Championships, Swaby helped guide the Reggae Girlz to registering four consecutive victories and two shutouts at the event. The team's victories included triumphs over Antigua, Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago, and Cuba, earning Jamaica spot in the qualification rounds for the 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship from Oct. 5-11.
 
"It is a huge honor to be able to play for Jamaica," said Swaby, whose father hails from the nation. "A lot of my family is from Jamaica and a lot of them still live there. Although this was my first time going back to the country since I was very young, I was able to see and hear a lot of my family members at all of my games."
 
Swaby's experience playing for the National Team is instrumental in developing as player. The West Hartford, Connecticut, native, however, knows it will be hard to leave her team during conference play. The international competition will increase her level of play on the field, while also also help her fine tune important management skills to succeed off the field
 
"The key to balancing everything is to make sure I am always organized," said Swaby. "It is crucial to make sure I have all assignments and exams noted. It's also important that I communicate with all my professors about the dates that I will not be in class to catch up on material I have missed."
 
A total of eight teams will play at the qualification rounds this weekend with the top three nations qualifying for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France. From Oct. 5-11, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, USA, and Mexico are set to play each other in Group A, while Jamaica, Cuba, Costa Rica, and Canada play each other in Group B. The top two teams from each group will then go on to play a Semifinals and Finals matches on the October 14^th and 17^th, respectively.
 
"It is a tremendous honor to play for the full national team of your country," said Head Coach Mike O'Neill. "It is even more rewarding to have the chance to help guide your nation to a World Cup. We are very proud of Chantelle and, although we will miss her, we wish her and Jamaica the best of luck."

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