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.”
