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INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler Bulldogs will host the Northeastern Huskies in the first round of the WNIT. The Bulldogs are hosting a WNIT game for the first time in program history. The contest will be held at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Thursday, March 21. Tip will go up at 7 PM.
 
Bulldog Bits                                                                                                                       
- Butler made the Postseason WNIT field for the seventh time in program history
- Butler was an automatic qualifier for the tournament field
- Butler's last trip to the WNIT was in 2014 when they lost at South Dakota State
- Butler's first trip to the WNIT came in 1998 when they defeated Bowling Green
- The Bulldogs have never hosted a WNIT game before this season
- Butler and Northeastern first met in the 1994 Georgia Tech Downtown Classic
- Michelle Weaver was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year (102 steals)
- Kurt Godlevske was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year
- Tori Schickel was named Second Team All-BIG EAST (12.3 ppg, 8.9 rpg)
- Whitney Jennings was named All-BIG EAST honorable mention (14.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
 
Scouting Northeastern                                                                                 
The Huskies accepted their at-large bid to the 2019 WNIT field after a successful 2018-19 season. Head Coach Kelly Cole led Northeastern to 20 wins, marking the program's third-highest total. First Team All-CAA point guard Jess Genco is the driving force behind a Northeastern offense that averages 69.8 points per game. The 5-5 senior averages 17.4 points and 4.4 assists per game. As a team, the Huskies shoot 42.3 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from behind the arc. The Huskies earned victories against three 2019 NCAA tournament teams, defeating the regular season champions out of the America East (Maine) and Atlantic 10 (Fordham) while splitting their two games against the CAA tournament champion, Towson. NU also scored two road victories against this year's 64-team WNIT field, collecting a November, overtime win at Dayton and a December win at Providence. The Huskies' 2019 appearance in the WNIT will mark the program's first since the tournament's inception in March 1998. NU is one of three programs that will represent the CAA in this year's field, joining James Madison and Drexel
 
NWIT Appearance                                                                                                          
Butler played three games in the 1993 NWIT (National Women's Invitational Tournament). The NWIT ran from 1969-1996. It folded in '96, but was brought back in 1998 as the WNIT.
 
WNIT Appearances                                                                                                        
The Postseason WNIT began in March of 1998 and involved 16 teams from around the country. Butler made the field in 1998 and defeated Bowling Green 95-90 to advance. BU would be eliminated at Louisiana State in the next game 74-58. The Bulldogs also won a Postseason WNIT game in 2009 with a 59-58 victory at Duquesne. They lost in the next round at Marquette 58-49. Additional trips for Butler came in 2010 (L, at Illinois State), 2011 (L, at Wisconsin), 2013 (L, at Toledo), and 2014 (L, at South Dakota State).
 
Butler vs. NCAA Tournament Teams                                                      
Butler played against three NCAA Tournament teams this season. The Bulldogs recorded a signature win against No. 5 seed Marquette in Milwaukee when the Golden Eagles were ranked #11. BU took two losses to DePaul in BIG EAST play and also lost at Indiana.
 
Butler vs. WNIT Teams                                                                                 
Butler will represent the BIG EAST in the WNIT along with Villanova, Seton Hall, Georgetown and Providence. The 'Dawgs swept Villanova this year and split the regular season series against Seton Hall and Georgetown. Providence won two games against Butler this season. The first meeting at Providence went into triple overtime and the second tilt at Hinkle Fieldhouse was a single overtime setback. The final WNIT team that went head-to-head with Butler during the regular season was Ohio State. Butler posted a 66-53 win over the Buckeyes in the 2018 West Palm Invitational.
 
Weaver Named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year                 
Weaver capped off the regular season with 100 steals, a total that led the team, the BIG EAST and ranked sixth in the NCAA. She is just the fifth player in program history to reach 100 steals in a single-season. Her career total now stands at 221, the fifth-highest total in BU history. Weaver recorded 21 more steals than any other player in the conference. She came up with a season-high seven steals in the win over St. John's on Jan. 6 and matched that effort with seven more steals in a contest at Wintrust Arena vs. DePaul.
 
Godlevske Tabbed BIG EAST Coach of the Year                       
Godlevske helped guide Butler to 21 wins during the regular season, the highest Bulldog total since 2009-10. 11 BIG EAST wins is also the best total since entering the conference. The Bulldogs were picked seventh in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll, but finished third in the conference standings. BU got off to one of the best starts in program history. They used that momentum to win their first five BIG EAST games of the year, signaling their first-ever 5-0 start to the conference season. BU also received votes in the national polls for the first time as a member of the BIG EAST.
 
Schickel Named Second Team All-BIG EAST                                        
Schickel was a Second Team All-BIG EAST selection after averaging 12.2 points and a team-best 8.9 rebounds. Schickel ranks 47th in the NCAA and second in the BIG EAST with 12 double-double performances. She scored a season-high 23 points in a win at St. John's and pulled down a season-high 19 rebounds at home vs. Providence.
 
Jennings Listed All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention          
Jennings leads the team in points, 3-point shooting, free throws and minutes played. She leads the team with 70 made 3-point field goals, the fifth-best total in a single-season in BU history. Jennings has hit 150 3-pointers in her BU career to rank eighth all-time. At the line, Jennings has hit 83 of her 95 free throw attempts (87.4). She ranks 25th in the NCAA and second in the BIG EAST in free throw percentage. Season-high totals for Jennings includes a 29-point outing at St. John's and an eight-rebound game in a win at Villanova.
 
21 Wins                                                                                                                              
The 2018-19 Bulldogs are just the 11th team in program history to notch 20+ wins in a single-season. 21 wins are the highest total under head coach Kurt Godlevske. 11 conference wins is also the best mark for Butler since entering the BIG EAST in 2013-14.
 
Recipe for Success                                                                                                          
Butler leads the BIG EAST in scoring defense (57.9), field goal pct defense (.368), steals (328), and turnovers forced (18.6).
 
Michelle Making Plays                                                                                 
Michelle Weaver ranks eighth all-time at BU with 334 career assists.
 
Schickel Sets All-Time Rebound Record at Seton Hall     
Tori Schickel broke the Butler women's basketball all-time rebound record at Seton Hall on Feb. 3. The all-time great now has 1,122 rebounds in her career.
 
Schickel Resets Record Book                                                                      
Tori Schickel has logged 3,855 minutes of playing time in her career to set a school record. She ranks second all-time at Butler in career blocked shots with 171 and third on the all-time scoring list with 1,606 points.
 
Up Next                                                                                                                              
Butler will play the winner of the game between Green Bay (22-9) and Kent State (19-12). Green Bay will host the action on Thursday night at 7 PM.