As the spring sports season begins to wind down, many teams are already beginning to prepare for their next season.

The football team had its annual blue and white scrimmage, the men’s soccer team had its spring exhibition matches, and five teams have announced additions to their rosters for next year.

Let’s take a look forward and see how some of Butler’s teams will be changing for the 2012-13 school year.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The men’s basketball team finished the 2011-12 season with a 22-15 record, averaging 40.8 percent shooting from the field and 28.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs were ranked eighth and 10th in the Horizon League in those categories, respectively.

The team has a chance to improve with the additions of senior guard and transfer Rotnei Clarke and incoming freshman guard Kellen Dunham.

In three seasons at Arkansas, Clarke averaged more than 15 points per game and shot nearly 44 percent from 3-point range.

Dunham averaged more than 29 points during his senior season at Pendleton Heights High School.

The Bulldogs will also be adding guard Devontae Morgan from Tampa, Fla., and guard Chris Harrison-Docks from Okemos, Mich.

Morgan led his high school team to a state championship last season, averaging more than 15 points and six rebounds per game.

Harrison-Docks averaged 21 points and five steals per game in his senior season.

The team will lose only two players—guard Ronald Nored and forward Garrett Butcher.

Butler will have to make up for the loss of Nored’s defensive prowess, as well as the experience and leadership provided by the pair.

Clarke and seniors Emerson Kampen, Chase Stigall and Andrew Smith will likely be asked to step up and fill those roles.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The women’s basketball team concluded its 2011-12 season with a 13-17 record and said goodbye to two senior guards—Devin Brierly and Kaley May.

Brierly was the only Bulldog to start in all 30 of the team’s games. She recorded more than 32 minutes of playing time per game, averaging 11 points per game.

Sophomore center Sarah Hamm is the only returning player to average more than 10 points per game last season.

Hamm will be joined by sophomore guard Jenna Cobb, freshman forward Hayley Howard and freshman guard Hannah Douglas, who all played key roles on the team last season.

Butler will also be adding four incoming freshman—forward Katie Brewer from Indianapolis, guard Blaire Langlois from Carmel, guard Lexus Murry from Indianapolis and forward-center Olivia Wrencher from West Chester, Ohio.

Brewer is a versatile player who has the ability to knock down three-pointers and battle down low.

Langlois has deep range on her jump shot but also has the ability to make plays with her passing.

Murry averaged more than 22 points per game during her senior season and can also be effective on the defensive end, where she averaged 3.5 steals per game.

Wrencher will bring size to the Bulldogs that will complement the play of Hamm and Howard under the basket.

SOFTBALL

The softball team will lose seven seniors at the conclusion of its current season, including four-year starting outfielder and third baseman Lauren McNulty, Butler’s home run record-holding first baseman Erin Falkenberry and catcher Mallory Winters.

Despite this, coach Scott Hall has five incoming players who could make an immediate impact on the program.

Alex Kotter, a shortstop from Vincennes Lincoln High School, had a .615 career batting average and was an Indiana first team All-State pick.

Chelsea Conover, an outfielder from Brownsburg, led her high school team in stolen bases, runs scored and on-base percentage for three years.

Audrey East is a utility player from New Palestine High School. East is one of the best power hitters in Indiana and boasted a .902 slugging percentage, eight home runs and 47 RBIs last season.

Taylor Lockwood, a pitcher from Southport High School, has good control and will be a solid addition to the pitching staff.

The same could be said for Kristin Gutierrez, a left-handed power pitcher from Highlands Ranch High School in Colorado.

Gutierrez, a 2011 Triple Crown All-American honoree, is a dual threat with her pitching and hitting. She led her conference with 127 strikeouts and recorded a .542 batting average.

The success of the pitching recruits could be key with the loss of senior pitcher Breanna Fisher and injuries to junior pitcher Jenny Esparza this season.

BASEBALL

The baseball team will add four players who could have an immediate impact next season.

Nick Bartolone is a left-handed outfielder from Harrison High School. Coach Steve Farley said he expects Bartolone to compete for position in the outfield next year.

Chris Marras, a catcher from Vernon Hills, Ill., will get the chance to work with two fifth-year senior catchers, Radley Haddad and Nick Hladek.

Nick Saldutti is a power-hitting first baseman from Westfield High School. He hit .477 with a .571 on-base percentage in his junior season.

Drew Small is a utility player from Zionsville. He was an All-State honorable mention.

His versatility and speed will help him compete for a spot in the outfield, especially with the loss of senior outfielder Mike Hoscheit.

The Bulldogs will also lose pitchers Dom Silvestri, Mike Hernandez, Brad Schnitzer, Brian Padove and Ryan Salvino, as well as senior infielder Griffin Richeson.

VOLLEYBALL

The volleyball team is returning eight players who played in at least 50 sets last year and lost only one senior in Maureen Bamiro.

Bamiro, a former middle blocker, finished with the second-best attack percentage in Butler history and sixth all-time in kills and kills per set.

Last season, she was voted All-Horizon League.

The Bulldogs will return sophomore middle blocker Maggie Harbison, who will likely be a key contributor after being voted All-Horizon League last season.

Butler will also add two transfer students.

Freshman Erica Stahl, a transfer from Cincinnati, will be an addition to the middle blocker position.

Stahl only has four sets of collegiate experience under her belt but was named among the top high school volleyball players by the Under Armour Watch list in 2010.

Sophomore Morgan Peterson, a setter from Middle Tennessee State, will have two years of eligibility with the Bulldogs.

She averaged 8.58 assists and 1.41 digs per set last season.

The Butler baseball team put together one of its best strings of pitching so far this season.

But Valparaiso threw even better and came away with a three-game series sweep over the weekend.

On Sunday, the Bulldogs (19-21, 7-11) saw the Crusaders (18-20, 12-6) tally two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to come away with a 3-2 victory.

The contest was the second game of a doubleheader.

“The cold, windy conditions made it very challenging for both teams,” Butler coach Steve Farley said.

Valparaiso freshman shortstop Spencer Mahoney drove in the game-winning run on a bases-loaded walk.

Junior third baseman Elliott Martin drove in the Crusaders’ first ninth-inning run with a single.

Junior pitcher Chase Byerly allowed both runs, which were unearned, and suffered the loss. Butler got out to an early lead with an RBI single from junior first baseman Jimmy Risi.

Freshman pitcher Eric Stout started for the Bulldogs and gave up one run over five innings, tallying three strikeouts.

Stout was able to get out of a fifth-inning bases loaded jam without any damage done before turning things over to Byerly.

The Bulldogs added another run in the fifth inning on a home run by sophomore centerfielder Marcos Calderon.

Mahoney, Martin and senior catcher Billy Cribbs led the Crusaders, putting up one RBI apiece in the nightcap.

The day’s first game saw another pitchers’ duel, with Valparaiso winning 1-0.

Butler senior pitcher Brad Schnitzer pitched all eight innings for the Bulldogs, allowing one earned run, five hits and one walk.

The run came on a second-inning RBI single by senior right fielder Steven Scoby.

Junior designated hitter Pat Gelwicks led Butler with three of the team’s four hits. Gelwicks also found himself in scoring position three times, but the Bulldogs could not capitalize.

Crusaders senior pitcher Kevin Wild tossed a complete game shutout, allowing three walks and striking out five in addition to the four hits allowed.

On Friday, Butler senior pitcher Dom Silvestri gave up four earned runs in the first inning. It proved to be too much for the Bulldogs to overcome, as Valparaiso walked away with a 4-2 win. Silvestri silenced the Crusaders for the next six innings, but Butler could only manage two runs on four hits.

Silvestri struck out four, walked two and gave up six hits in his seven innings of work.

Butler will face the University of Indianapolis this afternoon before three games against Horizon League-leading Wright State this weekend.

“A lot of people feel outside of the league like Wright State is so much better and that they’re just going to run through the conference tournament,” Byerly said. “We want to send them a message this weekend and let them know that’s not the case.”

Kansas State had him once.

Muscatine Community College had him once.

But now, Butler University has junior first baseman Jimmy Risi all the time.

Risi has brought power and team-leading offensive numbers to the Bulldogs despite getting off to what he called a “crappy” start.

Risi is currently leading Butler in multiple categories, including slugging percentage (.646), home runs (six) and RBI (26).

An Illinois native, Risi was a history-maker at Highland Park High School.

He set school records in home runs (27), runs batted in (118) and doubles (38). He also set the school record for best single-season batting average (.468) and eventually earned a full-ride scholarship to Kansas State.

“I stayed [at Kansas State] for a year, but I left the team right before the season started,” Risi said. “I played in the fall and was going to play for the team but decided to leave. It just wasn’t for me.”

Risi then spent two years with Muscatine, a junior college in eastern Iowa. There he led the team in home runs and batting average, among other offensive categories, during both seasons.

But Muscatine would not be Risi’s final stop.

He began emailing universities, looking to move again. Although the majority sent no reply, former Butler assistant coach Matt Tyner did.

“It was exciting,” Risi said. “I didn’t think [the Butler coaching staff] was going to email back.”

Two days after his second season with Muscatine ended, he made an official visit to Butler.

“It was kind of an emotional time,” said Risi, who had to say goodbye to friends at Muscatine, visit with family at home and visit a brand-new school, all in the span of 48 hours.

“I was home for one day, and then it was, ‘OK, now you have to go visit another school and make a decision within a week,’” Risi said.

After traveling to Indianapolis, Risi settled on Butler. He said he was enticed by the campus, the school and the people, including those who are now his teammates and coaches.

“Right from the first week on, all of the guys were great,” Risi said. “They were all so supportive and welcoming.”

Risi called coach Steve Farley “a father figure” and said that “he treats you like a person, which is different from other places.”

“Jimmy is off to a great start this season,” Farley said. “It helped that some of our players from the Chicago area played against him in high school.”

One of those players is senior pitcher Brad Schnitzer, who was on a national runner-up team with Risi at age 12.

“Jimmy is somebody who, right away, everybody really liked,” Schnitzer said. “He meshed with the team really quickly. He hits the ball harder and farther than anybody else, but he’s so humble about it.”

Yesterday in Butler’s 12-5 win over Bellarmine, Risi went 1-for-2 with four RBI and Butler’s lone home run.

“I just want to continue to help the team win and get better any way I can,” Risi said.

He said he has a couple of goals in mind for his time at Butler, including taking more of a leadership role as a senior.

The primary objective, however, is a Horizon League title this year.

“To me, Jimmy is capable of being one of the top power hitters in the Horizon League,” Farley said. “We are excited to have him in a Bulldog uniform.”