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 women’s basketball team suffered a 78-53 loss at #12 Green Bay (25-1, 15-1) on Saturday.

The Bulldogs (12-15, 8-8) were led by sophomore guard Mandy McDivitt, who recorded 12 points in the game. Sophomore guard Jenna Cobb added nine points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals for Butler.

“I gave it my best effort, but there is always room for improvement in a lot of areas,” Cobb said. “ We just tried working to spread the offense and on defense we wanted to force them to shoot more 3-pointers.”

The Bulldogs ended the game with 32.7 percent shooting and 34 rebounds to Green Bay’s 55.7 percent shooting and 38 rebounds.

“We just need to work on executing on offense and knowing where people are on the floor to help our shooting,” Cobb said.

The team also lost at Wisconsin-Milwaukee (9-18, 5-11) 54-52 in a close matchup.

Both Cobb and freshman guard Hannah Douglas scored 11 points in the loss.

“[Douglas] has helped our team so much this season, especially coming in as a freshman,” Cobb said. “The best part of her game is her pull up jumper. When she has it, no one can stop her.”

The team will return to Hinkle Fieldhouse tomorrow to take on Detroit at 7 p.m.

The Butler women’s basketball team scored a 51-48 home victory over Illinois-Chicago on Saturday.

The game was quite a reversal for the Bulldogs (12-13, 8-6), who fell to the Flames (16-10, 9-6) 77-42 on Jan. 19.

With the victory, Butler has now won five of its last six games.

“For me, I think the game was won by toughness,” coach Beth Couture said. “[At UIC], we did not match their toughness, and I thought we did here.”

The first half of the contest with UIC saw the teams exchange the lead six times before a 3-point basket by Butler sophomore guard Mandy McDivitt put the Bulldogs up 25-23 with 47 seconds left.

The Bulldogs ended the half with 20 rebounds to the Flames’ 19.

“I am just so proud of our girls because I felt like, offensively, we never really got in sync,” Couture said. “We really got after [the Flames] defensively, and I thought that was one of the best defensive efforts we have had.”

Photo by Taylor Cox

Butler opened the second half on a 9-2 run, which was fueled by a 3-point basket from senior guard Devin Brierly and four points from junior forward Becca Bornhorst.

After the game, Bornhorst said the team’s 72-59 loss to Valparaiso on Feb. 11 pushed Butler to work hard to win contests.

“We were so disappointed after losing to Valpo,” Bornhorst said. “We should not have lost to them. It benefited us because you can see we worked harder and we played tougher and we wanted it more.”

UIC eventually closed the gap to 49-48 following a 3-point basket by sophomore guard Kobel with 15 seconds left in the game.

The Bulldogs were able to hold on for the win, though, after Brierly successfully converted two free throw opportunities.

Following the victory over UIC, sophomore center Sarah Hamm was named Horizon League Player of the Week.

Hamm tallied a combined 39 points against UIC and Loyola of Chicago, Butler’s opponent on Thursday at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The game against the Flames proved to be much tighter than the Bulldogs’ 72-46 victory over the Ramblers (11-15, 6-9).

The Bulldogs recorded 23 steals and were led by sophomore guard Jenna Cobb, whose 12 steals allowed her to break the school record and tie the Horizon League record for most steals in a game.

“It is definitely exciting, but a lot of it was our whole team pressuring the ball and allowing me to get those steals,” Cobb said.

Brierly led the Bulldogs in scoring with 21 points.

The Bulldogs will continue their season at Milwaukee-Wisconsin tomorrow before facing off against No. 11 Green Bay on Saturday.

The Butler women’s basketball team got back on track after a six-game losing streak early in the season.

The Bulldogs (10-12, 6-5) came out of an Ohio road trip with two more Horizon League victories after topping Cleveland State and Youngstown State.

Against the Penguins (10-12, 4-7) of Youngstown State on Saturday, a 3-point basket from sophomore guard Mandy McDivitt with 2.3 seconds remaining pushed Butler to a 65-63 win.

Youngstown State was facing a double-digit deficit with 14 minutes to go in the second half.

The Penguins spent nearly all of that 14 minutes battling back, taking a 63-62 lead with 28.7 seconds left in the game.

That set the stage for McDivitt, who came off the bench, to hit her sixth 3-pointer of the contest and seal the win for the Bulldogs.

Butler hit 12 3-point baskets against Youngstown State, besting a previous season-high of eight in one game.

On Thursday, the Bulldogs claimed a 68-62 win over a struggling Cleveland State squad.

Despite receiving double-digit points from three players, the Vikings (8-14, 3-8) could not topple the Bulldogs.

Sophomore guard Jenna Cobb tallied a team-high 21 points for Butler and sophomore center Sarah Hamm posted a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Leading 30-26 at halftime, the Bulldogs went on a 10-2 run in the first four minutes of the second half.

Cleveland State eventually closed the deficit to single digits, but Butler managed to hold the lead and grab the win.

Butler faces in-state and in-conference rival Valparaiso (6-16, 2-9) at home this Saturday at 2 p.m.

The Butler women’s basketball team ended the week on a high note after beating Milwaukee (6-13, 2-7) 76-63 at home on Saturday.

According to Butler coach Beth Couture, working hard for rebounds and assists was crucial for the Bulldogs (8-12, 4-5).

Butler ended the game with 40 rebounds to Milwaukee’s 19.

“I think we were aggressive,” Couture said. “I was really pleased with their fight. At halftime I told them we really have to pick up the defense, and I think that was the difference.”

Sophomore center Sarah Hamm had her best outing of the season, posting a career-high 30 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks.

Photo by Taylor Cox

After the Panthers cut their deficit to one point with 7:04 remaining, Hamm scored two quick field goals to give Butler momentum and a 63-58 lead.

Hamm attributed her success on the floor to her teammates, including junior forward Becca Bornhorst, who had 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and sophomore guard Jenna Cobb, who also posted a career-high 16 points with six assists.

“I think we have to play hard to get out of those kinds of situations,” Hamm said. “I think what really helps me are the playmakers who make things happen and get me points.”

Couture said she also recognized Bornhorst’s positive impact on the game.

“[Bornhorst] having six [defensive rebounds] and four [offensive rebounds] is what we need her to do,” Couture said. “Her 10 points were great, but at the end of the day we really need her rebounds, so I thought she was really good.”

Bornhorst said she tried to find a good formula to help her make good plays for her team.

“I just let the game come to me, and I finally found a rhythm and just played relaxed,” Bornhorst said. “Our team played well all around, and we executed offensively and hit shots.”

The game served as a stark contrast to the team’s 60-36 home loss to No. 9 Green Bay on Thursday.

Despite losing the contest, the Bulldogs kept the Phoenix (19-0, 9-0) to their lowest score of the season. Their previous low was 65 points against Wisconsin.

“I thought in the first five minutes we played really good defense but could not score,” Couture said.

After being down 42-13 at halftime, the Bulldogs attempted to make a comeback in the second half, outscoring the Phoenix 23-18. It bore resemblance to Butler’s 60-57 comeback win over Loyola of Chicago on Jan. 21 but ultimately had a different result.

“We just got back to the gameplan [in the second half],” Couture said. “When you play the No. 9 team in the country, and they play like that, it is hard to make a comeback.”

The Bulldogs will start a two-game road swing tomorrow night at Cleveland State before heading to Youngstown State on Saturday.

Led by the sharpshooting of senior guard Terra Burns, the Butler women’s basketball team picked up a narrow 69-68 win over Harvard Sunday.

The win marked the Bulldogs’ first of the season and secured the team third place in the Iowa Tournament following an opening-round loss to tournament champion University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

Burns posted a team-high 17 points and led all players with nine rebounds.

“We definitely had a point to prove,” Burns said. “The night before, we definitely weren’t the team that I knew we could be.”

Butler (1-1) got out of the gate quickly, shooting 52 percent in the first half. Following a lay up by junior guard Elizabeth Jennings near the 12-minute mark, the Bulldogs never trailed.

Freshman forward Haley Howard paced Butler in the first half with 13 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting from the field. The Whiteland native finished with 15 points and eight boards.

The Bulldogs carried a 42-36 lead into halftime and continued their strong play into the second half.

A jumper by freshman guard Hannah Douglas opened up a 67-56 lead—Butler’s largest of the game—with about four minutes remaining.

Harvard (0-2) responded with a 12-2 run that saw the Crimson cut their deficit to one.

The Crimson had possession with 12 seconds remaining, trailing by one, but Butler sophomore guard Jenna Cobb stole the ball from junior forward Emma Golen, sealing the win for the Bulldogs and squandering Harvard’s comeback bid.

“It showed our toughness,” coach Beth Couture said. “I felt good about the composure on the floor. They stayed together as a team.”

One day earlier, Butler was unable to overcome a slow start and suffered a 62-39 loss to UNLV.

The Bulldogs struggled offensively in the first half, shooting 6-of-29 from the field en route to a 17-point halftime deficit.

Sophomore guard Mandy McDivitt led the Bulldogs with 11 points.

In the weekend’s games, six of the eight Bulldogs who received significant minutes were underclassmen.

“I think those young kids are very talented,” Couture said. “If they continue to improve every day, I think we could have a lot of fun come league time.”

Butler will be back in action Sunday when it visits Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (0-3).

On Saturday, the Bulldogs will travel to the Lutheran Children’s Hospital in Fort Wayne, where they will meet and interact with patients.

“We try to do as much as we can helping kids,” Burns said.