Westfield senior Carson Swanson, third from left, is pictured with, from left: brother Braylon, father Nolan and mother Amy after signing his national letter of intent to attend Wheeling University and play basketball for the Cardinals on Tuesday at Westfield Academy & Central School. P-J photo by Christian Storms

Carson Swanson accomplished pretty much everything you can imagine individually for the Westfield boys basketball team and on Tuesday the two-time OBSERVER/Post-Journal Player of the Year closed that chapter on his career.

Surrounded by a large crowd of friends, family, coaches, teachers and administrators, the Westfield senior signed his national letter of intent to attend Wheeling University and play basketball for the Cardinals in the Mountain East Conference at the NCAA Division II level.

“I’m just really thankful for the community here and Wheeling University,” Swanson said. “It’s kind of hard to put words around it, I’m just so thankful of everyone around me and just being able to go to the next level and try to prove myself. I’m really thankful for the opportunity.”

The Cardinals finished 11-18 overall this past season and were ninth out of 11 teams in the conference. Swanson will be joining a situation where he has an opportunity to help get Wheeling back on track to success.

“I wanted to push myself to go to the highest level I could,” Swanson said about his decision process. “I visited some Division II schools after the season and this just fit me the most. If I didn’t find a team it was either the DIII or JUCO route, but I found a place that wanted me. I wanted to go somewhere that wanted me there and some place that could make me better.”

Swanson’s signing closes the book on a dream season in a legendary career for the Wolverines in which he became the highest scorer in Section VI history and second overall in Western New York, won a sectional title and was named the Class C co-Player of the Year by the New York State Sportswriters Association. However, what made it even better was he was able to accomplish those things with great people around him.

“I’m so fortunate because I got to play under my dad and my grandpa,” Swanson added. “So many people don’t get that opportunity and I got to play with both of my brothers. I’m just really thankful for it and especially for Westfield how they always put on games with support from the school.”