Tucker Ashburn
Butler Student Sports Media
The 2020-21 Butler women’s basketball team would have been starting their season in November, but because of COVID-19, the season is pushed back to January. According to the current schedule, the season is currently set to start Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021 at home vs. Colby.
Last season, the women’s basketball team went 25-8 overall and 15-5 in conference play. Their season was cut short as the NJCAA National Tournament in Lubbock, Texas was cancelled because of COVID. The Grizzlies have seven sophomores and six freshmen on the roster this year, with five returning players, Maddie Livingston, Carissa Beck, Miranda Givens, Riley Hett and Tamara Nard.
The women’s basketball Coach Mike Helmer is returning as the head coach in his 13th season here at Butler. Abby Fawcett, Hannah Mortimer and Bryce Winklepleck are returning as assistant coaches, and Ericka Mattingly is in her first year of coaching.
Helmer has some high praise about this year’s team.
“I love the talent on this team,” he said. “This year is so different. Normally we would have been playing by now, but COVID has changed things. The returning players will have a big impact, but not as big of an impact as years past (due to the delayed season). With the tournament getting cancelled, the players, and especially the coaches, have some extra motivation for this season.”
Helmer has high expectations for this team – to make the tournament again and take care of some unfinished business.
Tyler Nordman, the associate athletic director, has praise and expectations for the women’s basketball team.
“We have a good group of returners back that have unfinished business,” Nordman said. “We have added a great group of freshmen and a couple transfers to the program, and we are looking forward to getting back to games. I think not being able to go to the national tournament and the team never getting closure on the season will just add fuel to their fire of getting back to that level this season. The women’s team was in quarantine earlier in the month, but seems to have gotten over it. They have been doing an extraordinary job handling the cards they have been dealt. They have followed the proper safety protocols and self-isolated to help contain any spread. I think anyone who has to self-isolate will have some tough days, but this group is very tough and got through it well.”