Butler gets ready to charge the field against rival Hutchinson at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex on Oct. 22, 2016. Butler beat the Blue Dragons in a tightly contested battle 21-17.
Photo by D. Brown
Charles Chaney
Student Sports Media
In the heart of Big 12 country, it is nice seeing players we are in classes with and have gotten to know go on and do better things. It is even better when we get to see them against, or even for, our favorite Big 12 schools. Those same Big 12 schools are loving the talent flowing through the hallways of Butler Community College.
From football to basketball, Big 12 recruiters have been seen throughout campus and talking to players after games. It’s paid off, too. Butler is sending or has already sent nine players this year to Big 12 universities.
Octavious Morgan and Tony Jones, two physical defensive backs were mid-year transfers to Texas Tech. Morgan has already received rave reviews through spring practices, as he was named the Defensive Player of the Week twice.
“It’s a blessing to get to coach these guys,” Butler Head Coach Tim Schaffner said.
The Mountaineers of West Virginia snagged defensive back, Fo ntez Davis. In doing that, they could steal away Butler’s starting quarterback this season, David Isreal. Both players will fight for starts in their respective positions next season.
In basketball, sophomores Dakota Vann and Kyeria Hannah both have signed on to continue their basketball careers at Texas Christian University. They held the Grizzlies women’s basketball team to a 24-7 record this season.
Gannon Cornley will head to the University of Kansas as a preferred walk on. Kansas, in the middle of a rebuilding year continues their fight to Big 12 relevancy. They did take down Texas for their first Big 12 win in many years. Cornley stepped in and did an admirable job when Fontez Davis went down for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.
Adam Harter, a Grizzlies tight end, heads off to Manhattan to play for the legendary Coach Bill Snyder next season.
Kevon Abrams, Butler’s running back who throttled Coffeyville for the second most yards in a single game earlier this season, took an official visit to Baylor in April.
When it is not the Big 12, athletes are going to other major Division I programs. In football, Joey Palmer is going to Florida Atlantic, Justin Nwachukwu is at Northern Illinois, Sammie Epps is at the University of Mississippi and Tyler Currie is going to Missouri State. In Basketball, Johnny Lindsay and Jacolby Harris will play at Texas A&M-Kingsville, a Division II program.
“We’re constantly visited by Big 12 programs,” Schaffner said. “It’s up to the players to put in the hard work.”
The pipeline being right in the middle of Big 12 Country helps. The school where these student-athletes attend has helped. However, their work and dedication continues to be what puts these student-athletes over the top and into top schools in the country.