Butler Women’s Basketball comes in at No. 18 in NJCAA Div. I Preseason Poll

After coming off a 28-5 season last year and winning both the KJCCC Div. I and Region VI titles with a trip to the national tournament, the Butler Grizzly women's basketball team lands at No. 18 in the NJCAA Division I Preseason Top 25 Poll.

"I am happy with the ranking and the respect we are getting at a national level and it is a testament to the hard work of those that came before this group," said head women's basketball coach Mike Helmer.

Butler returned to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament for the second time in school history after going for the first time in 2013-14. The Grizzlies finished with 28 wins, giving them the third most wins in school history and finished a perfect 14-0 in home games.

The Grizzlies will have a different look as they return only three players from last year's team. Camille Downs, sophomore guard from Fredricksburg, VA saw the most time of the three returners as a freshman last season appearing in all 33 games and getting the start in eight. She averaged 9.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in her freshman campaign while playing 14.4 minutes per game. She had a season high 18-points twice during the season once against State Fair and the other against Cowley.

The other two returners are Dana Johnson who saw action in 28 games averaging 6.7 minutes per game and Jelesa Gross who appeared in all 33 with one start averaging 4 points per game.

"Yes, we lost a lot of our team from last year, but we bring in a new group that is going to be able to contribute immediately," said Helmer.

The 62-54 win over Seward in the Region VI Championship game was the first Region VI Championship for the women's basketball program in school while they won their third KJCCC title in school history.

Conference schools Seward and Hutchinson are both ranked ahead of the Grizzlies in the preseason poll with Seward coming in at No. 6 with Hutch close behind at No. 9.

"It is just a daily reminder on how tough our league is," said Helmer. "We will use this as motivation to continue to work and try to chip away at the top ten as we move through the season."

The Grizzlies open up their season on the road at the State Fair Classic on Friday, November 1^st when they play Division II No. 2 Kirkwood.

NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL - 10.21.19