Latrobe grad Bryce Butler makes Division I transfer decision, picks College of Charleston

Tasked with what he considered the toughest decision of his life — even tougher than giving up high school football when he blew out his knee as a freshman — Bryce Butler decided where he will play his final year of college basketball.

More than 60 schools showed interest in Butler when the West Liberty standout, considered one of the best Division II players in the nation, put his name in the college free-agent database known as the NCAA transfer portal.

Power Five schools from the Big Ten, Atlantic Coast Conference, Southeastern Conference and Big 12 liked his game.

Three programs made the final cut for the now-former West Liberty talent from Latrobe. But only one topped his list.

Butler announced Monday night he will take his game up a notch and play at The College of Charleston, a Division I program in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Toledo and Ohio were his other finalists.

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— Bryce Butler (@BryceButler_5) April 10, 2023

“Coach (Pat) Kelsey and his staff did an incredible job at being real and genuine during the whole process,” Butler said. “They were one of the first schools to contact me.”

Butler led West Liberty to the Division II national championship game and showed his talents to a CBS television audience, scoring a game-high 32 points in a 111-101 loss to Nova Southeastern.

A Bevo Francis Award finalist for the best small-college player in the country, Butler averaged 22.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for the Hilltoppers (33-4).

A 6-foot-5, 200-pound junior guard, Butler used his covid-19 waiver when he was a sophomore, so he has one more full season of NCAA eligibility.

Butler will become the third member of his family to play Division I basketball, joining his father, Eric (Robert Morris, Eastern Kentucky), and older brother, Austin (Holy Cross, Charlotte).

Austin Butler, who also played a fifth year, is playing professional basketball in Finland.

“Playing D-1 basketball was always a dream of mine growing up,” Bryce Butler said. “To have the opportunity to do that now with an extra year of eligibility is a blessing.”

Butler was the D2SIDA Atlantic Region and Mountain East Conference player of the year for the second consecutive season and was the MVP of the MEC and Atlantic Region tournaments.

He is headed to another winning program and said he will play whatever role it takes to get Charleston to a national title run.

The College of Charleston won the CAA regular season and conference tournament championships and finished 31-4.

Pitt was the only Pittsburgh-area school that did not reach out to Butler.