Women’s Basketball Set for 2024-25 Season with 11 Newcomers

EL DORADO, Kan. – For Butler women's basketball head coach Mike Helmer, year 17 feels a little bit like year one.

Helmer's 17th season leading the program sees his 12-player roster made up of 11 newcomers, eight of them freshmen. Sophomore guard Alba Cunill is the only returner to the 2024-25 squad.

"Having all new players except for Alba has been interesting," Helmer said. "It's been an adjustment and something where I forgot what it was like to have to bring everyone along. It is the first time in my career at Butler that we've had to replace so many."

To go with the roster, Helmer's coaching staff looks different as well. Ericka Mattingly is back and slides into the lead assistant coaching spot in her fourth year on staff. Abby Fawcett begins her 13th season with Helmer, just in a slightly reduced role as she is the new coordinator of student involvement and event manager for Butler Community College. Helmer also added Tanesha Daniels as an assistant coach. Daniels had a playing career at Salt Lake CC and Grand Canyon and most recently spent a year as an assistant at Seward County.

Grizzly fans can also expect a different playing style than what Helmer's teams have had when this squad takes the court.

"We went out and got a different style of player," said Helmer. "Typically we go after athletes, kids that are fast and aggressive. But everyone has been zoning and stalling us the last few years so we went and got length with shooters around them."

The Grizzlies will feature five post players that are 6'0 or taller in sophomore transfers Mercy Wamet (Kilgore College), Awa Jawara (Lincoln Trail CC) and Lucia Lara (Mississippi Valley State) as well as a pair of freshmen from Kansas in Kenzie Galliart (Blue Valley West) and Jalyiah Manuel (Wichita Heights).

Butler's guard/wing play sees six of seven student-athletes hail from the Sunflower State with the exception of Cunill (Barcelona). The newcomers are Destiny Smith (Derby), Madison Smith (Derby), Ashley Singhateh (Maize South), Mya Mayberry (Wichita Heights), Zion Butler (Wichita South) and Keegan Yarick (Fort Scott).

"I'm born and raised in Kansas so of course I appreciate getting those kids," Helmer said. "We search all over the country looking for the best student-athletes and coincidentally this year's class was Kansas heavy."

The Grizzlies will in fact be leaning on size and shooting. Helmer is especially bullish on the shooting capabilities of this year's squad.

"We have unbelievable shooters," he said. "There will be a night or two where the team hits fire and we hit 15 or 20 threes. I have never had that. That will definitely be our strong point."

Where does the leadership come from on such a young squad? Helmer has seen flashes of it from a handful of freshmen already, and their teammates agree.

"Ashley (Singhateh) was voted unanimously as a captain," said Helmer. "She's been the most consistent and most vocal. Kenzie (Galliart)and Keegan (Yarick) were also voted as captains. It's the first time we have had three freshmen captains and it's an honor for them to know that their peers respect them."

Helmer knows that with a young team, it may take some time to settle down. They'll need time to gel and learn how to deal with adversity at the college level.

"I am anxious to see how these kids develop because this season is a grind but if they continue to put in the work, I think this team will only get better by the end of the season."

The Grizzlies kick the 2024 season off Friday afternoon at the Coffeyville Classic, taking on NEO A&M at 5 p.m. The game will be streamed on the 'Red Raven Sports Network' channel on YouTube. The Grizzlies wrap up their stay in Coffeyville on Saturday, playing Connors State at 1 p.m.

Season tickets are now on sale at ButlerGrizzlies.com/Tickets. The Grizzlies first home game is Nov. 20th at 5:30 p.m. vs. NOC-Tonkawa.