At her first World Championships in 1998, Swisshelm and team finished in a three-way tie for eighth. In 2001 her team improved to a fifth-place finish and a 5 – 4 record. Her best performance at the World Championships came with her third appearance in 2003. Team USA finished third in the round robin competition. In the semifinals they defeated Team Sweden (skipped by future Olympic Gold Medalist Anette Norberg) and advanced to take on Colleen Jones's Canadian team in the final. Playing in Winnipeg, Manitoba, they defeated the Canadians and Swisshelm earned her first World Championship medal. Swisshelm returned to the World Championships two more times, in 2010 and 2013, but failed to get a second medal.