The Illinois State Redbirds welcome Jacob Swiatek to the family!
Swiatek, a 5’10″ 174 lb. forward is a Des Plaines, IL native. He will join the Redbirds in the 2024-25 season after recently playing for the Soo Eagles in the NOJHL! Jacob intends to major in finance.
When asked who his favorite coach was, Swiatek said, “My favorite coaches were Tony Koloszy and Justin Nelson at the Chargers, they really made coming to the rink fun every day and made me have a passion for the game.” When asked who his biggest supporter was, Jacob stated, “my mom who has supported me through all of my hockey career and has sacrificed a lot for me to be able to play hockey and I’m very grateful for her.” Jacob expressed his biggest goal was, “My first junior goal is one of favorites and one I will always remember a shorthanded breakaway to tie the game.” Swiatek stated his favorite hockey memory was, “my entire experience playing junior hockey being able to live away from home, meet new people, and experience new things while being able to travel and see places I never would have been able to before.”
Swiatek expressed that he is looking forward to playing for a top hockey program while making new friends and getting a great education. Jacob’s favorite food is BBQ ribs. Swiatek has 1 sibling: an older brother; Eric Arrigo who according to Swiatek, “he is about 5 years older than me and has always been a mentor for me in my hockey career.” When asked what animal Jacob would want to be, he said he would be a falcon or any type of bird he always wanted to fly.
“Swiatek is an extremely skilled forward who has played a lot of high-level hockey and seen success. We are extremely excited to have him in the organization!” -D1 Head Coach Chris Prewitt.
If you’re interested in playing for ISU Hockey, we encourage you to fill out our Recruit Form under the team tab on our website!