| No. 22–Green Bay Phoenix | |
|---|---|
| Position | Point guard |
| League | Horizon League |
| Personal information | |
| Born | South Wayne, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Listed height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Black Hawk South Wayne, Wisconsin |
| College | Green Bay (2021–present) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Bailey Butler of South Wayne, Wisconsin is an American college basketball player, currently playing for the Green Bay Phoenix of the Horizon League. [1] Butler is currently the all-time Division I leader in assists for the Green Bay women's program, reaching the margin in her final season with the team. Butler captured two or more league honors in each of her four seasons with the Phoenix, and a part of two Green Bay teams that made the NCAA women's basketball tournament in 2024 and 2025. [2]
Butler played basketball at Black Hawk High School, in her hometown of South Wayne, WI. During Butler's prep career, she helped lead the Black Hawk Warriors (WIAA, Division 5) to a 103–2 record, including a 2018 state runner-up finish while as a freshman and a 2019 state championship as a sophomore. [3]
As the school's starting guard all four years, Butler is Black Hawk's all-time scoring leader with 1,960 points including a 28.3 points per game average her senior year in 2021, which led the state of Wisconsin that season. [4]
Butler was a four-time Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division 5 All-State selection, 2021 AP All-State Girls Basketball First-Term (unanimous selection), and 2021 Wisconsin Miss Basketball. [5] [6]
Butler verbally committed to the Green Bay Phoenix in June 2019 and officially signed her letter of intent on November 11, 2020. [7] Butler became the fourth Wisconsin Miss Basketball player to play at Green Bay. [8]
Playing in 27 games, Butler averaged 3.1 rebounds per game, and totaled 58 assists and 38 steals. In scoring, Butler recorded season highs of 14 points twice, at Youngstown State (12/4/21) and vs. UWM (2/7/22). The Horizon League voted Butler onto the All-Freshman Team plus Freshman of the Year and Sixth Player of the Year awards. [2] [9] Green Bay finished third in the conference and earned an at-large bid to the WNIT. [10]
Bailey averaged 8.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, including a conference leading 2.26 assist-to-turnover ratio. Butler's notable games include an 11-for-11 free throw effort vs. Wisconsin (12/14/22) and a near double-double of 16 points and 9 assists at Oakland (2/5/23). [2] Elected to the Horizon League All-League Second-Team and All-Defensive Team, [11] Butler help led the team to the regular-season conference title and another WNIT bid, this time reaching the 2nd round. [12]
Bailey led the conference in assists at 5.4 per game (181 total) and assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.9. Finished second in the conference with 2.18 steals per game (72 total). [2] Butler scored 20 points and nabbed 6 steals at Northern Kentucky (1/5/24), both career highs. [13] Against Oakland (2/22/24), Butler notched a double-double with 10 rebounds and 10 assists. [14] Voted Horizon League All-League Third Team and All-Defensive Team, Butler helped Green Bay win the conference tournament, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament after a five-year absence. [15]
On April 10, 2024, head coach Kevin Borseth announced his retirement. [16] A few weeks later on April 25, Green Bay introduced Kayla Karius as the program's next head coach. [17]
Similar to her junior year, Butler led the league again in assists at 4.8 per game (160 total) and assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.9. Butler twice recorded double-digit assist totals with 12 at UWM (12/11/24) and vs. Northern Kentucky on (1/2/25). [2] Butler became the school's all-time Division I career assist leader by the end of the regular season, passing Megan Lukan at 525 assists. [18]
Voted onto the Horizon League All-Defensive Team along with fellow teammate and senior Jasmine Kondrakiewicz, Butler was also awarded the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year. [19] Butler helped Green Bay win both the Horizon League regular-season and tournament championships, earning another bid to the NCAA tournament. [20]