INDIANAPOLIS – The 2017-18 Butler women's basketball season will get underway this Saturday when the Bulldogs host Austin Peay at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Head Coach Kurt Godlevske is optimistic heading into the season opener.
 
Bulldog Bits
- BU returns four starters and nine letter-winners to return 95 percent of their scoring from last year
- Tori Schickel broke the BU single-season rebound record during the 2016-17 season (364)
- Schickel averaged a double-double last year (14.7 points and 11.7 rebounds per game)
- Schickel was the first Bulldog since 2012-13 to lead BU in both scoring and rebounding
- Butler won a BIG EAST Tournament game for the second-straight year in 2016-17
- Sydney Buck ranks 5th all-time at Butler with 169 made 3-point field goals
- Kristen Spolyar and Sydney Buck were limited last year due to injury (27 missed games)
- Iman Lathan is eligible to play this year, however the other three transfers will sit out
- Godlevske has an entire new coaching staff;  John Marcum, Kierra McCleary, and Gabe Henry
 
Bulldog Philosophy
"Our philosophy has not changed," Godlevske said. "We want to take what we did well at the end of last season and keep that moving. As a staff, our mind-set coming into the year is full of excitement because we have some many returners. On top of that, we get to insert Whitney Jennings and Iman Lathan into the mix which could add another 20 points to the scoreboard.
 
Effort and Execution
"Effort and execution is something that we talk about on a daily basis," Godlevske added. "Those two things are a huge part of our program and really helps define the culture of our program."
 
2017-18 Team Goals
"As a team we want to compete against the top teams in this conference, make a push in the BIG EAST Tournament and with that comes the ultimate goal of making the NCAA Tournament field."
 
More Depth on the Roster
"Offensively, we will play more up and down this year because it will fit our style and make life easier for our guards," Godlevske stated. "Having more athleticism and depth will help us defensively as well. We will do some things differently than what we have been able to over the last three years."
 
New Coaching Staff
"The three new coaches on this staff have a similar outlook to the game as I do," Godlevske said. "From a day-to-day basis a big change has been the overall enthusiasm of the team, high energy practices, and great communication. It makes every day fun and exciting.
 
Schedule Talk
"The Paradise Jam will be a good test for us," Godlevske stated. "West Virginia has a history of being successful and Virginia Tech is an up and coming program that was competitive in the ACC. We also get to face a Drexel team that won 22 games a year ago. Playing those teams on a neutral floor is a good situation for us because we still need to prove that we can play against that type of competition. We think we are fully capable of being able to score points and defend those types of teams, but we have to go out there and do it. Looking ahead, I like the matchups that we have at Hinkle Fieldhouse this year. I think the kids are really looking forward to all of the challenges that we have on the schedule across the board because they feel like they have something to prove."
 
Butler will host Austin Peay at 7 PM on Saturday, Nov. 11. The only other home contest during the opening month of the season will feature BU hosting Lipscomb on Friday, Nov. 17. For more information on tickets please click here.