Brian Swanson was a standout forward for the Colorado College Tigers from 1995 to 1999. In his final season, he recorded a career-high 66 points with 25 goals and 41 assists in 42 games. His exceptional performance earned him a top-ten nomination for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award in 1999, along with a First-Team All-American selection. Swanson finished his college career as the second-leading scorer in Colorado College history with 232 career points, and was named to the WCHA’s All-Decade Team for the 1990s.

After his collegiate career, Swanson was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in 1994 and went on to play professionally in various leagues. He played in 70 NHL games for the Edmonton Oilers and Atlanta Thrashers, recording 17 points. Swanson also had a lengthy and productive career in the AHL, most notably with the Hamilton Bulldogs, where he was an AHL All-Star. In 2004, he moved to Germany to play in the DEL, where he spent six seasons. He returned to North America in 2010 and helped the Alaska Aces win the Kelly Cup in the ECHL in 2011.