Chris Holtmann and his staff landed the highest-rated recruiting class in Butler history as four talented student-athletes signed their national letters of intent this week. The quartet includes Jerald Butler (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Christian David (Milton, Ontario), Cooper Neese (Cloverdale, Ind.), and Kyle Young (Canton, Ohio). The class is a consensus Top 25 recruiting class nationally, ranking as high as No. 11 in select listings.
 
"We are obviously very excited about this incoming class," said Holtmann, who enters his third season as head coach. "To continue to compete in the BIG EAST Conference, and at the highest level nationally, we must build our roster with consecutive quality recruiting classes that fit our program, and this group of young men fit that description. These are high-character individuals who appreciate Butler's educational opportunities, our history, and our culture. On the court, this group is very versatile and skilled, and they value winning. The entire staff did an excellent job of evaluating and prioritizing this group. We're excited for the impact they are going to have on our program in future years."
 
Butler is a 6-4 guard who will play at Calvary Christian Academy this season after starring at Westminster Academy previously. He was a First-Team All-State selection as a junior (averaging 16 points and 8.3 rebounds) while leading Westminster to the state championship game. He played a key role with the Florida Vipers AAU program, which won the 2015 Under Armour national championship. Butler is ranked as a three-star prospect by all the major recruiting publications, and carries a four-star ranking from ESPN. He is a multi-year captain and honor roll student.
 
"Jerald's personality and work ethic are infectious," said Holtmann. "He has a unique game and the skill set to be impactful at the 1, 2 or the 3 because he is a very good passer and has the ability to knock down shots. He possesses a lot of the intangibles that are so important to a team and a locker room, and I'm confident that Jerald is going to be successful here."
 
David is a 6-7 guard/forward who plays at Vermont Academy, which captured its first New England Prep School Athletic Council title in 2016. He averaged 13 points per game a season ago before suffering an injury in the league championship game that also kept him from participating in AAU competition over the summer. David is ranked 83rd by ESPN, 88th by Rivals, and 92nd by 247 Sports. He participated in the Bio-Steel All-Canadian Game in 2015.
 
"Christian, like all of the players in this class, has been mentored extremely well by coaches who are invested in seeing him maximize his potential," said Holtmann. "He has good size and length for his position, possesses excellent shooting touch, and will bring a very good basketball IQ with him to Butler. The way he has attacked his knee rehab shows the type of competitor and worker he is."
 
Neese is a 6-4 guard from nearby Cloverdale, Ind. He has led his high school team to a 60-16 record and two sectional championships. He is both a three-time captain and three-time all-conference selection. As a junior, he averaged 29.5 points per game and made more than four three-pointers per contest. He was the state of Indiana's third-leading scorer last season and earned a spot on the IndyStar Indiana Junior All-Star team. He competed with the UA Indy Hoosiers on the AAU circuit. Neese's Cloverdale High School also produced Chad Tucker, Butler's all-time leading scorer.
 
"Cooper was our first recruit in this class," said Holtmann. "He is excited about coming to Butler and that showed in the way he helped to recruit the other three guys. Cooper has the appropriate label as a shooter, but he can score in a variety of ways, and has good athleticism that helps him on the defensive end. He is one of the state's top scorers and has played against high-level competition in AAU."
 
Young is nationally-rated 82nd by 247 Sports, 84th by Scout, 89th by ESPN, and 109th by Rivals. He is regarded as the No. 3 player in Ohio. The 6-8 forward averaged 19.3 points and 5.7 rebounds for his Jackson High School team that went 21-5 and won the Federal League. He shot 53 percent from the field and 41 percent on 3-pointers. He was Stark County's Player of the Year and the only junior on Ohio's all-state first team. He played with King James during the AAU season, the same program that produced current Butler players Nate Fowler and Henry Baddley.
 
"Kyle is a player who is very skilled that also brings a rugged approach to every game," said Holtmann. "That's a combination that is hard to find. He loves to compete and he loves to win. Kyle is a guy that we identified very early in the recruiting process as a priority for us. He is mature for his age, both physically and emotionally, and I think that will help him have an immediate impact within our program."
 
All four will arrive at Butler over the summer and compete for the Bulldogs starting with the 2017-18 season.
 
Holtmann and the Bulldogs begin the 2016-17 regular season Saturday (Nov. 12), hosting Northern Colorado at 7:30 p.m.