INDIANAPOLIS – 6-4 center Ashanti Thomas will join the Butler women's basketball program for the 2017-18 season, an announcement made by head coach Kurt Godlevske on Friday, June 30. Thomas spent the first two years of her collegiate career playing for Penn State Lady Lions. She will sit out the 2017-18 season due to the NCAA transfer rule, but will have two seasons of eligibility remaining for the Bulldogs.
 
"I want to welcome Ashanti to Butler," Godlevske stated. "Ashanti is a rare player with her size and mobility. The first thing that sticks out to me is how aggressive and physical of player she is. She's going to demand a lot of attention on the offense end and she's going to be force on the defensive end. I couldn't be more excited about her choosing to be a Bulldog!"
 
Thomas was an impact player for Penn State during her sophomore campaign. A starter in 29 of 32 contests, Thomas averaged 3.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in just 13.6 minutes of court time. She shot 58 percent from the field (47-81) and kept possessions alive with 41 offensive rebounds. Highlights during her sophomore season include scoring 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting at No. 3 Maryland and going 5-for-5 against Michigan with 11 points and two blocked shots. Her best non-conference effort came against American when Thomas scored seven of her nine points in the last three minutes of the game. She was a perfect 3-for-3 from the charity stripe and also pulled down six rebounds.
 
As a freshman, Thomas appeared in all 31 games for Penn State, making five starts. She averaged 1.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. The Lexington, Ky. native scored seven points and grabbed six rebounds in her first career start vs. Holy Cross. Conference highlights include six points and four rebounds at Minnesota and a team-high seven rebounds and two blocked shots vs. Michigan State.
 
While playing at Lafayette High School, Thomas was rated as the No. 96 overall prospect by All-Star Girls Report. She ended her career with 1,077 points and 933 rebounds, helping the Generals to four consecutive district championships and a pair of regional titles.
 
Thomas will reconnect with Tori Schickel while playing at Butler. The two talented forwards competed against each other in the 2015 Indiana-Kentucky All-Star Game. Thomas averaged 12.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game during her senior season, allowing her to earn all-star honors. She helped LHS to a 22-10 overall record. She averaged 9.2 points and 8.2 rebounds as a junior and was recognized as the eighth-best player in the state of Kentucky. Outside of Lafayette, Thomas played AAU basketball for Mac Irvin Lady Fire.