Former Butler women’s basketball player Susan Lester is making a big geographical jump to continue her playing career.

Lester, a 2010 graduate, signed to play professionally with a team in Mersin, Turkey, on Thursday.

“I’m very excited for the opportunity to play professional basketball overseas,” Lester said in a press release. “I had a thousand thoughts go through my mind.”

The former Bulldog finished 10th on the Butler women’s all-time scoring list, as well as fourth all-time in rebounding.

“I’m excited that this opportunity came available for Susan,” Butler coach Beth Couture said. “She is one of the most accomplished players I’ve had in my years at Butler, and I’m sure she will be very successful at the next level.”

At Butler, Lester was named to the all-newcomer team in 2007 and was recognized as the 2010 Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year.

She was also part of the Butler volleyball team last season, helping the squad to an NCAA tournament appearance.

It is roughly 4,200 miles from Indianapolis to the nation of Denmark. Former Butler University women’s basketball player Brittany Bowen will be making the trip to continue her playing career in Horsens, Denmark for the Horsens Pirates.

“I’m going from being a Bulldog to a Pirate, but I will always bleed Butler blue,” Bowen said Thursday in a press release.

Bowen led the Bulldogs in scoring last season by averaging just under 16 points per contest en route to garnering second team All-Horizon League honors.

The decision came as no surprise to Bowen’s former coaches and teammates, including junior forward Becca Bornhorst, who played alongside Bowen during the past two seasons.

“Brittany was always in the gym trying to get better,” Bornhorst said. “I really looked up to her. She was more like an older sister to me than a teammate.”

Known as a versatile offensive player, Bowen ranks fifth on Butler’s all-time scoring list and increased her scoring average in each of her four seasons as a Bulldog.

During her Butler career, Bowen helped lead the Bulldogs to four straight 20-win seasons, four consecutive appearances in the Horizon League championship game and three consecutive WNIT berths.

Butler head coach Beth Couture recruited Bowen and saw firsthand Bowen’s development into a Horizon League standout.

“The coaching staff and I are really excited for her,” Couture said. “This is a great opportunity for her to grow both as a basketball player and an individual.”

Couture spoke with Bowen after the announcement and had encouraging parting words for her former star.

“I just told her to keep believing in herself and to stay confident,” Couture said.

Bowen will be leaving a conference contender for another strong program. Horsens won a league title in 2007.

“I will be participating in a competitive league where the Pirates are improving every year to win a championship,” Bowen said. “I wouldn’t have had this opportunity arise without the support of everyone. I’m looking forward to representing Butler well in Denmark.”

A pair of losses in Wisconsin has jeopardized the Butler women’s basketball team’s chances of clinching the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Horizon League tournament.

Saturday, the Bulldogs (17-12, 11-6 HL) faced the No. 13 Green Bay Phoenix.

Butler got off to a strong start, trailing by two eight minutes into the game. However, the Phoenix (27-1, 16-0 HL) turned up the heat, finishing the half on a 10-0 run to send the Bulldogs into the locker room facing a 41-23 deficit.

“They did a lot of really good things, but we did a lot of things to make them good,” Butler senior guard Brittany Bowen said. “The whole game was just 40 minutes of ups and downs.

“We need to concentrate on the little things so that if we do face them again, the downs don’t hurt us as much.”

Green Bay was able to dominate the second half, finishing with a school record 93 points en route to a 93-57 victory. The win was the 27th of the season for Green Bay—also a school record.

Two days earlier, Butler lost to host Milwaukee, 73-66.

The game was close throughout, with neither team leading by more than nine.

Milwaukee senior forward Lindsay Laur scored 20 points and sophmore guard Sami Tucker added 17.

Milwaukee finished the night with eight 3-pointers and shot a perfect 17-for-17 from the free-throw line.

Foul trouble led to unfamiliar lineups for the Bulldogs, which forced junior guard Devin Brierly to come in after senior point guard Azjah Bass picked up her fourth foul early in the second half.

But this didn’t seem to faze the Bulldogs. Butler took a 11-7 lead following a 3-pointer by senior guard Alyssa Pittman. The Bulldogs extended their lead, 17-13, before going on a 3:32 scoring drought that saw Milwaukee tie the game at 20.

The Panthers scored the next eight points to take a 28-20 lead with 5:22 to play in the first half. However, Butler battled back and made a 12-4 run to end the half and tie the score at 32.

Just like the first half, the second half was a back-and-forth bout. A three-point play by Laur put Milwaukee ahead, 69-64, with just 30 seconds to go.

The Bulldogs responded and Pittman found senior forward Chloe Hamilton for a layup with 19 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to two. However, the Panthers were able to seal the victory at the free throw line, winning 73-66.

Butler faces Valparaiso this Saturday in a must-win game to clinch second place in next week’s Horizon League tournament.

Head coach Beth Couture is still optimistic about her squad’s chances.

“You know, if you could script an ending to a season, this would be an ideal way to do it,” Couture said. “We are in a good position because we are in control of our own fate.”