Brianna Butler signs her NLI to Syracuse. (Joseph Staszewski)
Brianna Butler is making New York home.
One of the nation’s top prospects left Philadelphia’s Penn Charter and transferred to Nazareth in Brooklyn for her senior season. Wednesday she chose to extend her stay in the Empire State by signing a National Letter of Intent to Syracuse.
Butler, a 5-foot-11 guard, is the No. 13-ranked recruit in her class by HoopGurlz. She chose the Orange over Kentucky, Ohio State and Penn State and will be headed there with Nazareth’s Taylor Ford.
“When I went on the visit with Taylor [Ford] I felt a connection,” Butler said. “Everything was right, the coaching staff, the players and even business management and sports management [programs].”
She already had an idea she wanted to go to Syracuse, but her official visit in late October sealed it for her. Butler formed a strong bond with coach Quentin Hillsman, who led the Orange to a 25-10 record, 9-7 in the Big East and spot in the WNIT last season. Butler can score inside and out with a sweet stroke and brings a toughness to the floor.
“Everything he was saying I believed,” Butler said of Hillsman. “I really trusted in him.”
Nazareth and Exodus travel coach Apache Paschall believes Butler and Ford can be part of something every special at Syracuse, which will be moving to the ACC. They are part of an excellent recruiting class that joins budding stars Shakeya Leary, La’Shay Taft and a roster that has just two seniors this season.
“When you look at that core and what they have, now we are taking about a Final Four team,” Paschall said.
Butler was supposed to be part of a very special team this year at Nazareth, which is coming off its first New York State Federation Class AA championship. Instead, she and fellow high-profile transfers Sadie Edwards and Destini Feagin have currently been ruled ineligible to play by CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens until the school can provide further proof of parental change of address. Nazareth athletic director Rochelle Murphy said the school planned on providing additional documentation as early as Thursday.
“It’s hard,” Butler said. “I want to play my last year. I’m hoping everything turns out well.”
Added Ford: “I think it’s motivating her more. If she can play, I think now she is going to just dominate.”
The Lady Kingsmen was expected to be ranked as high as the top five in the country and compete for a national title. The King of Prussia native said she was moving to Brooklyn anyway her mother and said after playing with Exodus and being around their family atmosphere the last three summers it made sense to come join Paschall at Nazareth. That comfort level has helped ease the transition. She said she will not leave Nazareth if she ultimately cannot play her senior season
“Here everything is moving,” Butler said. “In Pennsylvania everything is very laid back and you depend on cars. Here you depend on public transportation. I guess that is the only big change. Other than that, school is school.”
But Syracuse was like none other for her.
“Before I went on the visit I had an inclination I wanted to go to Syracuse,” Butler said. “But going there on the official really just sent it home.”