Shawn Vanzant To Play In Finland

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. -- Former Butler guard Shawn Vanzant, who helped the Bulldogs to back-to-back Final Four appearances, will continue his basketball career in Finland in 2011-12.  Vanzant, who completed his collegiate career in the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball national championship game, signed a professional contract to play for the Korihait club of Uusikaupunki.

“I’m really happy for Shawn,” said Butler head coach Brad Stevens.  “He had a great career at Butler, defined by constant improvement.  He ended his career as one of the winningest players of all-time at Butler, and he was a great representative of our school.  We wish Shawn the very best, and we’ll be rooting hard for him.”

Vanzant, who earned his Butler degree in Education in May, helped the Bulldogs to 117 victories, four Horizon League regular season championships, three league tournament titles, four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament and two straight appearances in the NCAA national championship game during his career.  He played in all but four games in four seasons, and he became one of only two players in school history to play in a Butler single season record 38 games twice.

The 6-1 guard from Tampa, Fla., started 26 of Butler’s 38 games in 2010-11 and wound up fourth on the team in scoring with an 8.1 average.  He finished third on the squad in assists (64) and minutes played (28.6) and fourth on the team in steals (29).  During Butler’s 14-game winning streak prior to the national championship game, Vanzant averaged 10.4 points and shot .457 from beyond the three-point arc.  He was named to the All-Tournament Team at the 2011 Horizon League Men’s Basketball Championship, after scoring 26 points in Butler’s two tournament wins.

“Shawn is in great shape physically and will likely play point guard when the season opens in late September,” said Vanzant’s agent Matthew C. Krejci of MK Sports and Entertainment LLC in a release announcing the signing.

Vanzant will be joining a team that plays in the top Finnish league, Korisliiga.  Korihait placed fourth in the league a year ago with a 28-16 record.