Kyla Callins earns NJCAA All-American honors

Butler sophomore Kyla Callins was named to the NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball All-American team on Monday, becoming the fourth Grizzly in the program's history to earn the honor. 

Callins, who was an honorable mention selection, averaged 10.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game for the Grizzlies. She also averaged 2.8 assists and 2.3 steals per game.

"I'm extremely happy for her," head coach Mike Helmer said. "She worked so hard and deserves everything she gets."

Callins, a Wichita native who played at South High School, played in all 32 games for Butler this season. She recorded six double-doubles. She scored a season-high 21 points in a 49-40 win over Pratt in the Region VI Quarterfinals. She averaged 18 points a game for Butler at the Region VI Tournament and was named the MVP of the event.

Callins helped Butler to a 28-5 record, a Jayhawk East Conference championship, the program's first-ever Region VI Tournament championship and only the second appearance in the national tournament in program history.

She was a first-team All-Jayhawk Conference and All-Region VI.

This is the second straight year for Butler to have an All-American. Ericka Mattingly was a third-team selection last year. They, along with Ashley Gibson (2015) and Te'era Williams (2014), are the only All-Americans in Butler women's basketball history – all coming under Helmer.