In the first issue of The Pacer last fall, it was announced that The Pacer would be awarding the inaugural Pacer Player of the Year award.
After receiving multiple nominations and considering several factors, The Pacer is pleased to name Heather Butler, senior guard from the women’s basketball team, the winner of the award.
Throughout the season, Butler helped to lead the Skyhawk’s women’s basketball team to a record of 24-8, the best record in program history. The team also finished with a 15-1 record in the Ohio Valley Conference, claiming the outright OVC season championship.
Statistically, Butler led the team with 754 points, which moved her into first place in OVC history with 2,865 in her career. She also ranks 16th on the NCAA’s all-time leaderboard.
Butler added to her list of accomplishments when the OVC named her the 2014 OVC Player of the Year.
Along with the OVC honors, Butler has her name firmly etched in the NCAA record books.
Along with being ranked on the NCAA’s all-time leaderboard, Butler ranked ninth in the country last season with 23.6 points per game. Butler also set the NCAA three-point record with 392 career three-pointers and ranks fifth inNCAA history with 129 straight games in double-digits.
During her four years with the team, the Skyhawks won two outright OVC season championships, four OVC Tournament championships and received four consecutive NCAA Tournament berths.
Despite all of her awards and records, one of her biggest moments came on Monday, April 21.
Dan Hughes, the general manager and head coach of the WNBA’s San Antonio Stars, announced that Butler had signed a training camp contract with the team.
“This is an absolute dream come true,” said Butler. “Ever since I was little I have dreamed of playing at the next level and to be able to compete against some of the best players in the world. When Coach Hughes called to see if I was interested, I was completely surprised that an opportunity like this happened so quickly. Being able to have this opportunity is a complete shock and honor. Having your dreams right in the palm of your hands is a true blessing. I am just ready to go play and prove myself.”
Butler is just the second OVC player to be invited to a WNBA camp.
Throughout the season Butler demonstrated her leadership on the court and in the last game of her collegiate career, with the help of her teammates, nearly knocked off the North Carolina Tar Heels to claim UTM’s first NCAA Tournament victory. However, Butler and the Skyhawks fell two points short as an attempt at a last second buzzer-beater by Karisma Tyson fell short.
After the game, Butler insisted she was proud of her team.
“I felt like we played way better than we have been all season,” said Butler. “We fought, and it’s just really hard to lose that ball game when I know we deserved it you know. We deserved it. We fought so hard and just had it in our hands and there it went. It hurts and it’s going to hurt probably for the rest of my life but you know that’s the way it goes sometimes.”
Butler often says that all of the awards she has obtained mean nowhere near as much to her as the team success, which is a big part of the reason she was selected as the receipent for this award.
Despite the team’s success and her individual success, Butler has remained humble.
We believe that Butler embodies what a student-athlete should be, successful in not only the games she plays in, but in the classroom as an Academic All-American.
Featured Image: (Bradley Stringfield)
