Two weeks after losing to Kentucky in the Final Four, Jared Swopshire has decided to transfer from Louisville to Northwestern. The six-foot, eight-inch forward will be eligible immediately because he will enroll in a graduate program at NU after he graduates from Louisville in May.

The move was announced Thursday by Swopshire’s father, Teddy, who told the Louisville Courier-Journal NU was the only school his son visited after doing careful research about the rosters of possible schools. Jared missed the entire 2010-2011 season with a groin injury after starting 20 games for the Cardinals the previous season. Relegated to coming off the bench this year, Swopshire averaged 3.3 points per game for the year.

Teddy Swopshire said his son could replace the Wildcats’ all-time leading scorer John Shurna, who finished his NU career this season.

“The opportunity is there for him to start,” Teddy Swopshire said. “He’s replacing Shurna, so that’s the style he’s going for from an offensive and a playing style standpoint.”

The addition will help bolster an NU frontcourt which loses seniors Luka Mirkovic and Davide Curletti to graduation. The Cats will now rely on a combination of redshirt freshman Mike Turner, Texas Christian transfer Nikola Cerina and Swopshire to play in the center’s spot.

– Josh Walfish