Natalie Butler [merged thread]

[prebivalka]

Per John Altavilla, a 6-5 freshman from Georgetown, Big East's freshman of the year, visited UConn this weekend and is thinking about transfer.

 

[Marie Diaz]

John Altavilla @jaltavilla · 10m
Source tells me that Natalie Butler, a 6-5 freshman center from Georgetown, visited #uconnwomen this weekend and is thinking about transfer

We could use a 6'5 player even though she won't be available until 2015-16 per transfer rules
Averaged 13 rebounds
Was the Big east rookie of the year
Will have 3 years to play if transferred to UConn

 

[Adesmar123]

John Altavilla @jaltavilla · 10m
Source tells me that Natalie Butler, a 6-5 freshman center from Georgetown, visited #uconnwomen this weekend and is thinking about transfer


Does John A get banned for speculation about Stef Dolson twin transfers?

 

[Wonkster]

.
Hey! Is this a new-found benefit to being in the AAC? We don't have to wait for 2 years, right?

 

[EricLA]

This would be absolutely HUGE for UCONN, literally and figuratively. If the coaches feel like she's a true UCONN type player, I'd sign up for that in a heartbeat... Practice 1 year behind Kiah... then possibly start the next year...

From a physical standpoint, she looks like a slightly more slender, more fit version of Stef at the same age.

 

[UConnCat]

So this may have been the recruit mistaken for Boley on Friday.

carl adamec @CarlAdamec · 24h
For those who thought they saw @ErinnSB21 at UConn Friday, she flew home to Kentucky Wednesday morning. #mistakenidenity

 

[Rob Signor]

just watched video of her. She looks real good. True Center. Good moves around the basket. nice number. pretty athletic. i did not see this coming it would be a huge get. There are not a lot of centers out there.

 

[winlots]

Be still, my heart! Sure looks like UCONN to me.....called up some pix of her, and in one she has her hand over her heart, evidently for the anthem or flag..........another plus is that her heart is over the HEADS of her teammates! Sounds like she now aspires to become a pro ball player, and what better path than thru Storrs?????

 

[semper]

Oh man, this is what I've been so so so wishing for, a true center! Whew, I hope this visit goes GREAT! This would be so fantastic. Three years...three years, in year after next! Wow! And she could sit on the bench and attend practices, right?

 

[UConnCat]

John Altavilla @jaltavilla · 10m
Source tells me that Natalie Butler, a 6-5 freshman center from Georgetown, visited #uconnwomen this weekend and is thinking about transfer

We could use a 6'5 player even though she won't be available until 2015-16 per transfer rules
Averaged 13 rebounds
Was the Big east rookie of the year
Will have 3 years to play if transferred to UConn

Tied for 9th in NCAA with 24 double doubles (leader had 29). Remarkable for a freshman. A high character kid whose games continues to improve. Was unanimous BE ROY.

From good stock too. Her father is Vernon Butler who played with David Robinson on the '86 Navy team that made it to the Elite 8 and who is Navy's 2nd all-time leading scorer.

 

[winlots]

PS: Tip o' the cap to John Altavilla.

 

[Vowelguy]

This seems odd to me. How does a player visit another school to "think about transferring?" It would be one thing for her to visit after having declared that she's transferring, but while she's still part of that team? And can she even talk to the UConn staff?

 

[UConnCat]

This seems odd to me. How does a player visit another school to "think about transferring?" It would be one thing for her to visit after having declared that she's transferring, but while she's still part of that team? And can she even talk to the UConn staff?

Maybe not a good idea to put too much weight on the wording of a tweet. Sounds like she is thinking about transferring ...to UConn. She wouldn't have visited if UConn weren't granted permission to contact.

Coaching change at G'town may be part of the reason.

 

[Bayareahusky]

why was she ranked only #140 in the 13 class?

 

[stamfordhusky]

1. Georgetown may have given her permission to talk to other schools but not yet signed off on a transfer. It is entirely possible that they won't do the latter until they have a new coach on board who gets a chance to "re-recruit" her. Hopefully that is not the case but it has happened before.

2. Given all the turmoil in the Georgetown program, with the coach who recruited her being fired for abusive conduct and GU likely having four different head coaches in less than four years, there is an outside chance the NCAA might let her play without sitting out a year. That has happened on a number of occasions in situations like this over the past five years. However it appears that a new rule will end that practice starting in 12 months. Technically a waiver could still be granted for 2014 - but I imagine the NCAA will be tougher on granting waivers this year.

3. She is the daughter of Navy's second best all-time player, Vernon Butler, who teamed up with David Robinson to give Navy perhaps its only nationally-ranked teams ever. He is still #2 in Navy history in scoring and rebounding.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Natalie may be a late bloomer. She averaged a triple-double her senior year (26/18/10 blocks) and was both All-State and All-Met.

http://www.guhoyas.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/natalie_butler_852802.html

 

[stamfordhusky]

why was she ranked only #140 in the 13 class?

Late developer. Barely played as a soph and apparently didn't develop any coordination until her junior year. Has improved dramatically over the past couple years according to various reports. She not only was the BE freshman of the year but she was the nation's top frosh rebounder.

 

[UConnCat]

1. Georgetown may have given her permission to talk to other schools but not yet signed off on a transfer. It is entirely possible that they won't do the latter until they have a new coach on board who gets a chance to "re-recruit" her. Hopefully that is not the case but it has happened before.

2. Given all the turmoil in the Georgetown program, with the coach who recruited her being fired for abusive conduct and GU likely having four different head coaches in less than four years, there is an outside chance the NCAA might let her play without sitting out a year. That has happened on a number of occasions in situations like this over the past five years. However it appears that a new rule will end that practice starting in 12 months. Technically a waiver could still be granted for 2014 - but I imagine the NCAA will be tougher on granting waivers this year.

3. She is the daughter of Navy's second best all-time player, Vernon Butler, who teamed up with David Robinson to give Navy perhaps its only nationally-ranked teams ever. He is still #2 in Navy history in scoring and rebounding.

Georgetown named a new head coach -- Natasha Adair -- 3 weeks ago.

 

[Vowelguy]

Thanks to all for clarifying!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Late developer. Barely played as a soph and apparently didn't develop any coordination until her junior year. Has improved dramatically over the past couple years according to various reports. She not only was the BE freshman of the year but she was the nation's top frosh rebounder.

She reminds me of Stefanie. That's a very good thing.

 

[UConnCat]

why was she ranked only #140 in the 13 class?

She chose G'town over JMU, Delaware and VTech but, according to this article, was starting to attract interest from other programs (Baylor, St John's, etc). http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...7b9bc48-e578-11e1-936a-b801f1abab19_blog.html

 

[stamfordhusky]

Georgetown named a new head coach -- Natasha Adair -- 3 weeks ago.

Thanks, I missed that. The point still holds however that Georgetown may be letting her talk to other programs without necessarily releasing her at this point. Adair might want to have more chance to recruit her to stay.

 

[Wonkster]

PS: Tip o' the cap to John Altavilla.

Just call 'im Cap'n John.

 

[Wonkster]

#51 is Natalie Butler

 

[MilfordHusky]

She sounds like Geno's kind of kid.

http://m.fairfaxtimes.com/article/2...0-point-threshold&template=fairfaxtimesMobile