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The goal for the Butler women’s soccer team is simple, they want to go after every possible title in the 2022 season. Co-head coach Rob Alman was very clear in his expectations for his team this year, stating that winning the Big East is just the beginning of what he hopes is a highly successful season for the Bulldogs. “Our goals honestly are pretty simple…winning Big East championships, both regular season and conference tournament,” Alman said. He went on to elaborate that the team has an expectation to be in the mix for an NCAA tournament bid by the end of the season. The Bulldogs ended last season with a 15-5-1 record before going to the Big East tournament semifinals where they fell to eventual tournament champion Georgetown. Butler would receive a bid for the NCAA tournament but were ousted in the first round by Big Ten side Wisconsin. This season, the Bulldogs currently sit at 3-4 through seven games, but had impressive victories over Michigan, Wright State and Western Michigan. Although the Bulldogs have dropped four games to start the season, there have been flashes of promise for a team that could be incredibly dangerous down the stretch. Alman was optimistic about this year’s squad, saying he thinks the team “is probably the most exciting thing we’ve had in terms of going forward in the attacking options.” One of the Bulldogs prominent attacking players is super senior forward Katie Soderstrom, who has been on fire for the Bulldogs, scoring a team-high five goals in only seven games. Soderstrom also is tied for the team lead in assists, and over her career has climbed the ranks to become tied for second all-time in assists for Butler. Soderstrom said her goal for this year is just to enjoy it, as it will be her last season for the program. With that in mind, she still sees great opportunity for this team. “I think we have a lot of potential as a team,” Soderstrom said. “We’ve seen glimpses of it in the first games so far, but kind of just putting all the pieces together and I think we have the potential to do great things.” On the defensive side of the pitch is experienced senior defender Alana Wood. Playing 49 games over her career at Butler, she cites the team’s unity as something that can act as a catalyst for the Bulldogs down the stretch. The Michigan native likes how the team has come together in the early season. “We’re all really, really close as a team… it’s not a hierarchy,” Wood said. “It was great watching our freshmen come in this year and they jumped right into everything we were doing and took it on full swing… it’s been fun.” Senior forward Gretchen Skoglund is another player for Butler that is seeing promise in her teammates. Skoglund is looking forward to seeing how the pieces come together for the team. “We got a lot of new talented players that we’re really excited to incorporate into our previous team dynamic,” Skoglund said. Skoglund went on to say that the team being close contributes to on-field success, which is something all Bulldogs fans can get behind. In terms of scheduling, the Bulldogs have an early slate filled with top opponents from other conferences around the country. Junior defender and Australia native Claire Farrington said she is not overlooking any games this season, but is looking forward to playing in a few certain matchups. “There’s not a single game I don’t want to play in,” Farrington said. “But we do have some rivals [like] Georgetown [and] Xavier that are always big games and fun to play.” The game against Georgetown will be a revenge match for Butler on Oct. 23. The Hoyas have played the role of spoiler for the Bulldogs in the previous two seasons, defeating Butler in the Big East tournament in the championship game in 2020 and again in the semi-finals in 2021. Alman acknowledged the importance of these matchups and said while the Bulldogs will not underestimate anyone, everyone will be ready to play in these rivalry games. “Those games are always going to be…a little bit circled on everyone’s calendar just because there have been the games that have ultimately decided who’s won the league over the last few years,” Alman said. “So yeah, we don’t overlook anyone but I think [in] those rivalries everyone will be very much ready to play.” One way the players agreed that students could help them achieve their goals is by providing support and making the Sellick Bowl a tough place to play for opposing teams. Soderstrom was appreciative of the support the team has received so far from fans and especially the Dawg Pound. “It does make a difference,” Soderstrom said. “It makes us smile and laugh when you see them out there barking at the other team… the Dawg Pound was really fun in a couple of our games.” Farrington agreed that fans do add to the fun and thinks that spectators won’t be disappointed in what transpires on the field. “It’s always so much fun when we have fans and people we know cheering us on and we’d like to think that we play some nice [soccer] that people would want to watch,” Farrington said. “So if you have time…come out and watch, bring your friends and have a good time.” The Bulldogs take on Ball State at home in the Sellick Bowl on Sept. 15 for their last game before Big East conference play begins.

Redshirt senior defender Tommy Visser started all 19 games for the Bulldogs in 2022. Photo by Claire Runkel. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The Butler men’s soccer team begins the season looking to build on last year’s 10-6-3 record. The Dawgs are returning key pieces to go along with new faces as they get ready to be tested against some of the top programs in the country. They will strive to improve on last year’s Big East Semifinal appearance and challenge for the conference crown. After playing three exhibition games in which the final scores were not reported, Butler began their regular season push on Aug. 24 against the no. 24 ranked St. Louis Billikens . Sophomore Palmer Ault , a Noblesville native and member of the Indy 11 USL Academy, opened his scoring tab in the 13th minute. A long cross from junior Jan Quispel found the head of Ault, who powered it home to put Butler ahead. St. Louis stormed back in the second half, netting two goals and ultimately coming away with the victory in both squads’ first regular season game. The Bulldogs hit the road again on Aug. 26 to take on the Cougars of Southern Illinois University Evansville hoping to pick up their first win of the young season. It would not go Butler’s way though, falling 3-1 to the Cougars. Ault picked up his second goal of the season, but it was not enough to secure the win for Butler. Playing on the road twice to start out the season, once against a top 25 ranked team, is challenging for any team. Despite this, the Dawgs have some serious potential to be dangerous this year. Ault will be leading the line after coming off an impressive season, registering 10 goals and six assists last year. His stellar start to his college career landed him on the All-Big East First Team , and he was named the Big East Freshman of the Year unanimously . This season he was named Big East Preseason Offensive Player of the Year as well. Look for the Bulldogs offense to lean on him this season. Another player to watch for in attack is redshirt senior DJ Hooks . The Michigan native had a career high seven goals last season, along with three assists. Hooks will bring a maturity and veteran’s presence to the front line that will prove invaluable down the stretch. The combination of Hooks and Ault could prove to be lethal for opponents who travel to the Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl this year. In midfield the Bulldogs will showcase a mix of veterans and new arrivals this year, highlighted by Quispel and fifth-year Hemi Nasser . Nasser brings a level of comfort and experience to the middle of the pitch, starting 38 games in the past five years for the Bulldogs while scoring six goals and assisting five. Quispel, a native of Emmen in the Netherlands, has played for Dutch clubs such as Emmen U21, PEC Zwolle U21 and VV Emmen . Those two will be pulling the strings regularly for Butler in midfield. In the back, the Bulldogs will have returning redshirt seniors Tommy Visser and Graham Rieg . Those two will look to limit chances for the opposition in front of redshirt senior Caleb Norris . Despite being a senior, Norris has only registered 45 minutes of match play prior to 2023. In spite of this, the Dawgs defense is in safe hands of players who have been with the program for many years. The Bulldogs’ schedule this year features a variety of matchups ranging from Big East battles to clashes with some of the top programs in the country. The Sept. 9 matchup at home against Ohio State for Youth Night and Project 44 will be a game that no fan of Butler soccer will want to miss. The Dawgs then go on the road 10 days later to take on Big 10 squad and in-state rival Indiana University in what will be a huge game against one of the top men’s soccer programs in the country. The last regular season game will also be one to watch when Butler takes on Big East newcomer Akron Zips , another nationally well-respected men’s soccer program. Despite the early season losses, the Dawgs look poised for a strong season and a deep postseason run into the Big East Tournament and beyond. They certainly have the talent and experience, now they just have to put it all together.

The Bulldogs travel down to Orlando, Florida to take part in the ESPN Events Invitational. Photo by Grace Hensley.  CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu Coming off a loss to Michigan State (MSU) on Nov. 17 , the men’s basketball team heads down to Orlando to take part in the ESPN Events Invitational . The first matchup of the tournament sets the Bulldogs on a crash course with Florida Atlantic (FAU).  The Dawgs sit at 3-1 on the year following three home wins and their road loss to the Spartans. The game up in East Lansing showcased a tough shooting night for Butler, with the squad only shooting 28.8% from the field . Senior forward Jahmyl Telfort shouldered most of the offensive burden, scoring 15 points on a night to forget for the Bulldogs. Butler now shifts their focus to the Owls of FAU, a strong squad that made a run to the Final Four in last season’s NCAA Tournament. This will be yet another test for the Dawgs to see if they can compete with some of the elite programs in the country. Here is what you need to know as Butler matches up against FAU.  Who: Butler vs. Florida Atlantic When: Nov. 23, 2:30 p.m. Where: 2023 ESPN Events Invitational, Orlando, Florida How to watch/listen: ESPN 2, WXNT 1430 AM Getting the offense back on the right track The Bulldogs had their worst shooting night of the 2023-24 season on Nov. 17 against Michigan State. Butler had multiple miscues on the offensive end. They were missing layups, turning the ball over and not generating good shots for each other. This led to a 20 point loss in the first game of what will be a tough stretch for this squad.  Before the MSU game, Butler was averaging 86.67 points per game on 50.1% shooting from the field. Against the Spartans they scored 54 points and shot 28.8% . These bad offensive games will happen, especially against a team with the quality of Michigan State, but the Bulldogs have to turn around quickly. FAU is returning most of the squad that went to the Final Four last year, so this game will test if the Dawgs are on the same level as tournament teams. The bright spot for Butler is their defense. The Bulldogs rank 13th in the nation in scoring defense , only allowing 58 points per game. They will have to lean on their defensive resilience while they work out the offensive kinks if they want to have a good showing in this early season tournament. FAU scouting report Florida Atlantic is a part of the American Athletic Conference (AAC) and currently are 2-1 on the year . They opened up their campaign with wins over Loyola Chicago and Eastern Michigan before falling to Bryant 61-52. This dropped the Owls to No. 19 in the national rankings going into the game against Butler. FAU went 35-4 last season , winning the Conference USA Championship before they moved to the AAC in the summer of 2023. The Owls then went on a run to the NCAA Final Four where they got knocked out by eventual runner-up San Diego State . The key player for Florida Atlantic is senior center Vladislav Goldin . Goldin, a 7’1” big man from Russia, is averaging 15 points per game and was a huge part of the Owls run to the Final Four last season. He is shooting 63% from the field , so look for that matchup down low with Butler’s rotation of centers. FAU is a team that relies heavily on three point shooting, with 42.2% of the Owl’s shots coming from beyond the arc . The Bulldogs will have to defend the perimeter quickly and box out Goldin to eliminate second chance points and keep the game close. The Dawgs and Owls are both coming off of losses that they want to put in the rearview mirror, so both teams will be looking to pick up a quality win. For Butler, this is a great opportunity to get the season back on track and pick up a strong victory over a very good team.

Junior forward Pierre Brooks averages 16.7 points per game for the Bulldogs. Photo by Grace Hensley. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team returns home to Hinkle Fieldhouse tomorrow to take on Texas Tech in the Big East-Big 12 Battle. This is the first matchup of a five game home stand for the Bulldogs. The Dawgs come back to Butler after playing in the ESPN Events Invitational where they posted a 2-1 record. Butler lost to No. 13 Florida Atlantic before taking down Penn State and Boise State to improve their record to 5-2 on the season . The Bulldogs now shift their focus to the Red Raiders, who sit at 5-1 on the year . After a strong showing in the Bahamas, they head to Hinkle to clash with the Dawgs. Here is what you need to know as Butler takes on Texas Tech. Who: Butler vs. Texas Tech When: Nov. 30, 6:30 p.m. Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse How to watch/listen: FS1, WXNT 1430 AM Stacking wins together in Orlando After a tightly contested loss to FAU, the Bulldogs bounced back by taking down Penn State and Boise State at the ESPN Events Invitational. The tournament gave a peak behind the curtain into the potential this Butler team has as conference games loom on the horizon. In the 88-78 win against the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Dawgs got their offense back on track after a dismal day against Florida Atlantic. Butler shot 50% from the field, including 32.1% from beyond the arc . Another key so far this season has been how well the Bulldogs have shot free throws. Against Penn State, Butler hit on 89.5% of their shots from the charity stripe . Junior forward Pierre Brooks was the star of the game, scoring 26 points on 69.2% shooting. Brooks also led the team in time on the court, only missing two minutes throughout the whole game. The transfer from Michigan State continues to produce on the offensive end of the floor and spark the Butler offense game after game. Moving ahead to Boise State, the Dawgs were looking to return home with a 5-2 record. They took care of business handedly, taking a 70-56 win over the Broncos. The Bulldogs had yet another solid offensive day, shooting 51.8% from the field . On defense, Butler limited Boise State to hitting on only 32.3% of their shots , and held the Broncos to only five three pointers in the entire game. Although both teams the Bulldogs beat were unranked, it still shows how far this team has come since last year. If this squad wants to keep playing for a spot in the NCAA Tournament, those are the games they have to win. Texas Tech scouting report Texas Tech is a part of the Big 12 conference and are currently 5-1 on the year. Last season they posted a 16-16 record , missing out on the NCAA Tournament. Despite last season’s shortcomings, they have started the 2023-24 campaign off strong, beating No. 14 Texas A&M and Michigan , with their only loss coming to Villanova . The key player for the Red Raiders is super-senior guard Joe Toussaint , a transfer from West Virginia . Toussaint started his career off at Iowa before moving to WVU, and now to Lubbock to join Texas Tech. The 6 foot guard is averaging 14.5 points per game on 46.6% shooting . His matchup with senior guard Posh Alexander will be one to watch. Another strong member for Texas Tech is super-senior forward Warren Washington . The 7 footer was on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team last season at Arizona State , and will pose a threat down low to the Butler big men. To win this game, the Bulldogs will have to rebound the ball, which means dealing with Washington. The key for the Butler defense will be limiting chances inside the arc for the Red Raiders. Texas Tech shoots only 27.4% from three , so most of their points have come from close range. The Bulldogs will have to be tough inside and box out if they want to come out of this game with a win. This is another test for Butler to see where their team stands as conference play draws near. In front of a Hinkle crowd and coming off of two solid victories, the Bulldogs can make a statement that they can be a force in the Big East this season.

Fifth-year forward Jahmyl Telfort scored 29 points in an opening-day victory over Missouri State. Photo by Makenna Frias. CALEB DENORME | SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu In the Bulldogs’ first game of the 2024-25 season, Butler pulled out a nail-biting 72-65 win over Missouri State . Let’s go beyond the box score. Turnover troubles The turnover bug bit the Dawgs early and did not let up throughout the matchup. Butler committed 19 turnovers during the game and allowed Missouri State to grab a whopping 27 points off of those turnovers . While 27 points seems like a lot, the Bulldogs committed so many turnovers that Missouri State got up 20 more shots than Butler. Had the Bears shot the ball any better, that points-off-of-turnovers number could have been a lot worse.  Butler head coach Thad Matta knew his team did not play up to their ability today and that showed on the court. “I’ve never seen us turn the ball over like this,” Matta said. “Our decision-making was horrendous … we weren’t thinking. I was very disappointed in the way we played tonight.” Those tough words sting, but Matta’s sentiment rings true. The Bulldogs shot better from the field, outrebounded the Bears and even got to the free-throw line 28 times , but it was the self-inflicted wounds that caused the close game.  “I have no idea where this came from tonight,” Matta said. “This can’t be who we are. We can’t beat ourselves … 19 turnovers is just unacceptable.” In the exhibition game last week against Illinois Wesleyan , Butler tied the Titans with 10 turnovers each . This early trend of gifting the basketball to the other team is worrying, especially against seemingly inferior competition. Despite the perceived disparity in team quality, Matta gave Missouri State its flowers.  “I’m going to give Missouri State all the credit,” Matta said. “They defended us … they were physical, but we never adjusted.” The Bulldogs will need to get their turnover issues in check before Friday’s matchup with Austin Peay to avoid another potential upset at home. The Jahmyl Telfort Game One of the bright spots for Butler in this game was the dominance of fifth-year forward Jahmyl Telfort . The Canada native scored 29 points on 58.3% shooting, grabbed four boards, had two steals and two blocks .  At times he became the Bulldogs’ entire offense, getting the ball in an iso-scenario and backing his defender down. He had a portfolio of different buckets like draining a shot from 30 feet but then getting to the rim when the defense stepped out on him. “I just knew we had to win,” Telfort said. “Sometimes we’ve just got to find ways. [We’ll] get back in the lab and just work and we’ll be fine.” Despite his team turning the ball over at a high clip, Telfort only had possession taken from him twice in 37 minutes . Although the rest of his teammates struggled — especially senior forward Pierre Brooks , who had six giveaways — Telfort was not concerned about the turnover meltdown. “We all have to do a better job taking care of the ball,” Telfort said. “I’m not too worried about that. As we get going we’ll be better about it.” One of the challenges he and his teammates faced was the physicality of Missouri State. The Bears battled hard in the paint despite having a significant size disadvantage. Many fans will perceive this as a warning sign regarding Butler’s physicality, but Telfort sees the physical battle as a learning opportunity. “That’s the Big East right there,” Telfort said. “You’ve got to expect the physicality … that’s just like a Big East game. So … we’ve got to be ready and play a little bit tougher.” The Bulldogs will get a chance to play tougher and give the Hinkle Fieldhouse crowd a more convincing win when they host the Governors of Austin Peay on Friday, Nov. 8.

Fifth-year Jahmyl Telfort had eight points against Austin Peay. Photo by Makenna Frias.  CALEB DENORME | SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team seeks to bounce back with a matchup against Western Michigan on Monday, Nov. 11 after a disappointing loss. The Dawgs are 1-1 after a shocking loss to Austin Peay at home where Butler turned the ball over 16 times . Redshirt senior forward Patrick McCaffery led the scoring charge for the Bulldogs with 23 points . Here is what you need to know as the Bulldogs prepare to take on the Broncos. Who: Butler vs. Western Michigan When: Nov. 11, 7 p.m. Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse How to watch: FS1 Bouncing back Butler has not played well to start the season. After barely beating Missouri State by seven, Austin Peay outplayed the Dawgs at home. Now sitting at 1-1 early in the season, the Bulldogs have no more room for error. The first priority for Butler should be cleaning up the turnover issues. The Bulldogs have a staggering 35 turnovers in just two games, allowing their opponents to get up 33 more shots than their offense. Those extra possessions are the main catalyst for these close games. The next area the Dawgs have to figure out is their offensive identity. Butler looks lethargic on the offensive end, getting deep into the shot clock without any real scope of an open shot. The lack of creativity and movement has been a painful watch for Bulldog fans, especially against seemingly inferior teams on paper. Finally, Butler must sort out its defensive issues. Against Austin Peay the Dawgs allowed LJ Thomas to explode for 29 points , often getting beat off picks that let Thomas get open mid-range looks. The Bulldogs need to come out with energy and intensity on the defensive end because they have been pushed around in these first two games. Western Michigan scouting report The Broncos are 1-1 this season, starting off the year with a 60-56 loss against Coastal Carolina before bouncing back with a 86-46 win against Davenport .  Two players to watch for Western Michigan are guards JaVaughn Hannah and Markhi Strickland . Both players average 11.5 points per game , with Strickland shooting an impeccable 72.7% from the field . Butler will need its guards to play strong, tight defense to limit the Broncos scoring ability.  One of the Broncos’ best qualities is their ability to force turnovers. Western Michigan has forced 33 turnovers from its opponents in two games, with 19 of those being steals . Butler needs to protect itself from committing turnovers or else this game could go south very fast. The Bulldogs need to silence the critics after that embarrassing loss to Austin Peay. They will have a Hinkle Fieldhouse crowd behind them, but it will be up to the team to prove their quality.

Butler improves to 4-1 on the season with the win over Merrimack College. Photo by Eleanor Angelly.  CALEB DENORME | SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The Bulldogs grabbed another win emphatically on Friday night, drubbing Merrimack College 78-39 thanks to a second-half surge. Let’s go beyond the box score. A first-half defensive battle and Pierre Brooks’ big night The first half of this game was a defensive slugfest. Butler played suffocating man-to-man defense on their end of the floor while Merrimack changed up zone schemes to keep the Bulldogs guessing.  The Dawgs did not turn the ball over as much as usual, but at times they still struggled to create open looks. The plus side is that Butler locked up sophomore guard Budd Clark on the other side of the court. Typically averaging 21 points a game, Clark was held to just 8 points on 4-13 shooting . The Bulldogs would eventually find their offensive legs courtesy of senior forward Pierre Brooks . Brooks had 15 points on 6-8 shooting in the first half — the only Dawg to finish with double digits at halftime. Brooks was pleased with his hot start to the contest. “When you see the ball go in like that it kind of keeps you in the game,” Brooks said. “It keeps you going into the flow of the game.” Brooks’ fiery offensive start helped Butler build a six-point lead heading into halftime. His hot streak continued after the break, finishing with a double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds . Head coach Thad Matta joked that Brooks’ 12 rebounds were “more than he had all of last year,” but Brooks sees his rebounding effort as a pathway to the next level. “Being a scorer, but also being an all-around player … I think that can help me get to the next level,” Brooks said. “We came in with a game plan to crash that glass hard and that’s what we did.” An explosive second half Butler’s second-half performance can only be described as an absolute blowout. The Dawgs outscored the Warriors 41-8 in the second 20 minutes.  The Dawgs began the half on an 8-0 run and never looked back. After 20 minutes, Butler doubled Merrimack’s total final score with 33 more points in the second half than their opponents. Matta attributed this dominance to his team but also knew fatigue had a part to play. “[Merrimack] missed some open looks,” Matta said. “They were tired. We knew going in [we had to] wear them down. I thought our guys did a heck of a job.” One of the biggest factors in this performance was the Bulldogs’ ability to rebound the basketball. Butler finished with 51 total rebounds while Merrimack only had 23 , a difference of 28 boards. This emphasis on cleaning up the glass limited the Warriors’ ability to get back into the game and pushed the Dawgs further out in front. Another big catalyst for the second-half boom was the play of fifth-year center Andre Screen . Screen had 8 points and 4 rebounds in the second half , taking advantage of Merrimack’s smaller size when Butler ran out of space on offense. The Bulldogs dumped the ball into Screen and let him go to work. This win will carry Butler into the holiday season with confidence in their stride. After a streak of five straight home games, the Dawgs will now hit the road for the Arizona Tip-Off tournament. The Bulldogs will take on Northwestern on Thursday, Nov. 28 down south in Tempe.

The men’s basketball team heads down to Tempe, Arizona to take part in the Arizona Tip-Off challenge on Nov. 28 and 29. Photo by Eleanor Angelly.  CALEB DENORME | SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu Butler takes the court on Thanksgiving for a massive matchup with Northwestern at the Arizona Tip-Off in Tempe. The Bulldogs are riding high after three straight victories — most recently over Merrimack 78-39 . The Dawgs outscored the Warriors 41-8 in the second half to capture a dominant win. Butler now sets its sights on the Wildcats, seeking to send the Big Ten squad home early on Thanksgiving break.  Here is what you need to know as the Bulldogs prepare to battle the Wildcats. Who: Butler vs. Northwestern When: Nov. 28, 7 p.m. Where: Mullett Arena How to watch: CBS Sports Network Starting faster In the Bulldogs’ last game against Merrimack, Butler got off to a slow start to begin the game. The Warriors’ constant zone defense took different shapes throughout the contest, but was initially hard to figure out for the Dawgs. That defensive puzzle combined with Merrimack shooting 46.4% from the field in the first half gave Butler only a six-point lead heading into halftime. The Bulldogs had a commanding lead, but a late 6-0 run from the Warriors put them back within striking distance at the break. By now, Bulldog fans know how the second half went. The Dawgs’ now-electrified offense along with Merrimack shooting 13.8% from the field gave Butler a huge margin of victory. Now heading into a schedule with harder opponents on the horizon, Butler cannot afford those slow starts again. If the Bulldogs come out of the gate and quickly go behind, it will be an uphill battle to even get back into the game. The Dawgs will need to rely on fifth-year forward Jahmyl Telfort and senior forward Pierre Brooks to show up for them and carry the brunt of the offensive workload if the team struggles out of the gate. On defense, the emphasis will need to be on contesting shots and grabbing rebounds. If the Bulldogs can do all those things, they will be in good shape against the Wildcats. Northwestern scouting report The Wildcats come into this game at 5-1 with their lone loss against Dayton by five points. Northwestern finished at 22-12 last season , bowing out in the first round of the Big Ten tournament and the second round of the NCAA Tournament to eventual champion UConn .  The tandem of junior forward Nick Martinelli and graduate guard Jalen Leach lead Northwestern. Martinelli averages 23.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while also leading the team in three-point percentage with a 66.7% hit rate from deep . Leach averages 15.8 points per game and has taken the second-most shots on the team behind Martinelli. The key for Butler is going to be shutting down these two players defensively. Outside of Martinelli and Leach, senior guard Brooks Barnhizer is the only Wildcat who averages double-digits in points. If the Dawgs can play help-defense and force different players for Northwestern to contribute on offense, the Bulldogs will be in good shape. This is an early chance for Butler to begin building a resume against a team that went to the NCAA Tournament last season. This upcoming stretch of the season will be very important for the Bulldogs before they start Big East play, so they need to start stacking victories now to prepare for the gauntlet down the road.

Photo by Faith Delamarter. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu Enthusiastic. Joyful. Super competitive. These are the words that Rob Alman , co-head coach of the women’s soccer team, used to describe his superstar sophomore midfielder Talia Sommer . Sommer’s path to Butler University is unlike any other. It involves moving across the globe multiple times, beginning her professional career at the age of 14 and becoming an internationally capped player for Israel while still in college. Through it all there has remained one constant: her sheer love of the game. “I feel the most myself when I [play soccer], like there’s no one in the world who can change me, and I just feel like that’s my safe place to be myself,” Sommer said. Sommer’s story begins in New York City, where she lived for the first six years of her life. Her uncle, an Israel native, introduced her to the game of soccer by showing her Brazilian legend Ronaldinho juggling the ball, and since then she’s been hooked. She began playing organized soccer in the U.S. before her family moved back to Israel when she was six. “We moved back to Israel, and that’s when I started to play soccer with the boys there,” Sommer said. “For the first six years of my career, I played for Maccabi Tel Aviv , which is a football club in Israel, and I was the only girl in the league and only girl on the team.” At that time in Israel, there was no real platform for girls youth soccer. If girls wanted to play, they would have to compete against the boys and play on the same teams. Sommer said even then, it was looked upon as “taboo” for girls to play what many saw as a “masculine sport.” Despite being the only girl in her school to play, Sommer continued because it brought her joy. She even said playing against boys at a young age helped her athletic development. “That was kind of a big deal then, but I think it was one of the things in my career that helped me become the player that I am today,” Sommer said. “I had stayed in only for the love of it, the pure pure love of it, because everyone else was kind of against that.” Talia Sommer scored three goals in a 3-0 win against IUPUI on Aug. 31. Photo by Andrew Buckley. At the age of 12, Sommer was on the move again, back to New York City to follow her father, who is a political science professor, on a two-year sabbatical. During those two years, she played for Manhattan Soccer Club before she traveled back to Tel Aviv in Israel. When she arrived back in Israel at 14, she took the biggest leap of all and went pro for ASA Tel Aviv , a club in the Israeli Women’s Premier League . During her time at the club, she won the Israeli Women’s Premier League Championship along with the National Cup. Her time playing professionally prepared her for her time at Butler, but she says it’s very different from college soccer in the United States. “Playing in Israel means that I play with players who are five, 10, 15 years older than me who have that many years of experience over me as well,” Sommer said. “College soccer in America was a complete step forward for me. Even if the players are not 10 years older than me, they’re more gifted technically, athletically [and] tactically.” So how did a player from Israel find her way to central Indiana to play for the Bulldogs? Fate, and the NCAA rankings system. “It’s actually a funny story,” Sommer said. “I was just looking through the rankings and said ‘Butler! That seems interesting.’ So I sent [coaches] Rob and Tari a message after I watched their games and was impressed with how they play.” Sommer proceeded to send her highlight reel to both of the head coaches in hopes of attaining a scholarship to attend Butler. Alman was the one to review her game tape, and he was amazed at what he saw. “It’s very rare that you just sit and watch a highlight package and [say], ‘We need this player to come,’” Alman said. “It was instant [with Talia].” While reviewing the game footage, Alman was convinced he had seen her play before, but he did not know where. After meeting with Sommer and hearing that she played for Manhattan Soccer Club in New York City, Alman finally pieced it together. “The fact that she had been in the States in her early teen years, she was involved with some [Olympic Development Program] stuff, and I had actually seen her play … such a unique movement pattern with how she moves on the ball, just instantly I’m like, ‘I’ve seen her play,’” Alman said. The praise for the midfielder didn’t stop there when Alman described her as “a really fun player to watch play.” He talked about how she always wants to be involved in the buildup and wants the ball at her feet at all times. Some may think this comes across as selfish. Alman said he sees it as leadership. “She’s got the onfield influence already in terms of the competitive nature [and] the way that she trains, that enthusiasm [and] the way that she competes in games,” Alman said. “[She is] someone that people look to in big moments and has all those influences.” Sommer’s first season on campus proved what Alman saw on tape — she is a difference-maker. She racked up stat after stat on her way to winning Big East Freshman of the Year and making the All-Big East Second Team . While the accolades at the college level have come, they are not her main motivation. “I am so passionate about being successful in [soccer],” Sommer said. “There’s no real like, ‘Oh, I want to do it to be famous. I want to do it to have money.’ It’s just for the sole purpose of doing it because I love this game.” Sommer’s love for the game extends to the international stage, where she has played for Israel on several occasions. Last season, she traveled back and forth to Israel multiple times to represent her country. While it was difficult to balance her schoolwork and commitment to Butler’s team, the pride she feels representing her nation makes it all worth it. “Playing for the national team is one of the most special things that soccer players can do,” Sommer said. “I’m so proud to represent my country, my family, where I’m from and doing the thing that I love too is the best-case scenario for me.” Sommer has played against respected teams like Germany and Portugal, both of which were featured in this year’s Women’s World Cup . She knows it’s a valuable experience for her to be able to play against world-class players at such a young age. Talia Sommer signs posters for fans after Butler’s game against Baylor on Sept. 3. Photo by Jonathan Wang. In spite of all the accolades and success Sommer has garnered, one of the greatest things she has gained is the relationship she has with her teammates. Sophomore midfielder Amelie Darey is one of those teammates who shares the midfield with Sommer and described her as “a genuine person.” “You wouldn’t want anyone else to be your teammate,” Darey said. “Always there to listen … when the moment comes down to it, she’ll still be there.” Darey and Sommer met in England two years before arriving on Butler’s campus while they were both on trial for Chelsea F.C. . Darey, an England native, explained that every year, Chelsea brings over a few international players to train on a trial basis, and Sommer was one of those players. “We actually played on the same team, and [Talia] scored all the goals for our team,” Darey said. “So I knew from day one she was good.” Sommer’s life story weaves through different continents, teams and levels of soccer, but one thing always remains the same: she just wants to play soccer. “I do the sport because I love it,” Sommer said. “When I play soccer, I feel 100% completely Talia.”

Senior guard DJ Davis brings the ball up the court against Ohio Northern on Oct. 28. Photo by Makenna Frias. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team will return to Hinkle Fieldhouse tonight to take on Franklin College in the second and final exhibition game of the 2023-24 season. The Bulldogs are coming off a 78-46 blowout win over the Division III Ohio Northern Polar Bears in their first exhibition game. The Dawgs will use this game to continue working on team chemistry before their first regular season game against Eastern Michigan. Here’s what you need to know before Butler takes on the Franklin College Grizzlies. Who: Butler vs. Franklin College When: Nov. 1, 7 p.m. Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse How to watch/listen: WXNT 1430 AM Flying out of the gate The Bulldogs wasted no time showcasing the talent this team has to offer in the win over Ohio Northern . Granted, ONU is a Division III school, but fans got a sneak peek into how Thad Matta’s new pieces fit into his blueprint. The standout of the night was senior guard DJ Davis , who led the team in points, assists and rebounds. Beyond his statline, Davis’ range and ability to hit threes gave the team a dimension they did not have last season. The other standout was sophomore forward Connor Turnbull . Turnbull brought the crowd in Hinkle Fieldhouse to their feet on multiple occasions as he threw down dunk after dunk. Offensively, Butler jumped out early and never looked back. The Dawgs ended up shooting 58% from the field and 35.3% from beyond the arc . The blemish of the night on the scoresheet was free throw shooting. The Bulldogs only shot 60.9% from the charity stripe , including hitting only half of their free throw attempts in the second half. It is still only the first exhibition game of the season, but free throw shooting down the stretch of a game can come back to haunt teams when March rolls around. Defensively, Butler held ONU to only 46 points on the night on 34.5% shooting. One of the biggest downfalls for the Polar Bears was their lack of size. Big men Jalen Thomas , Andre Screen and Turnbull dominated in the paint on both sides of the floor. Turnbull even registered three blocks. Postgame, Matta said the defense was “pretty good at times,” but they were “sloppy” defending some of the picks ONU set up against them. With time and experience those miscues will need to be fixed, but they were not close to hurting the Dawgs on Saturday night. What is different about this year’s team? Depth is the first word that comes to mind when thinking about how this team has evolved from last year. With the influx of transfers and new first-years, we are beginning to see Matta build his team the way he wants. It just seems like everywhere you look on this squad there are players at every position who have something to add. Depth down low was a huge problem for Butler last season. When Manny Bates got injured, Thomas was essentially the only starting/rotation caliber center who could fill that role. This season they have Thomas returning, Screen, an improved Turnbull and hopefully Augusto Cassia in later games. Time will tell if these players are able to perform against bigger teams in the Big East, but they looked pretty good in the first game. Another difference is the way Matta has added shooters to diversify the offense. Last year Butler seemed one-dimensional at times, which forced them to rely on players who were not very good long range shooters to take long shots. This season, they have added guys like Davis, Landon Moore and first-year Finley Bizjack to help hit shots from outside and make the offense harder to guard. Yet again, we are only one game into what is going to be a long season, so things are prone to change. For Bulldogs fans, though, there is reason to be excited about this group. Who is Franklin College? Franklin College is a liberal arts school located 20 minutes south of Indianapolis. They have Division III athletics and compete in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC). The HCAC features schools from around Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The men’s basketball team finished last season with a record of 13-13 before losing to Hanover College in the HCAC Championships. In 27 games last year, Franklin scored an average of 68.9 points per game on 43.2% shooting . This will be the first ever meeting between the Bulldogs and Grizzlies . Butler will have to prove they can defend the three point line because a majority of Franklin’s offense revolves around shooting threes. 41.7% of the Grizzlies’ shots last season were three pointers , so the Bulldogs will have to focus on chasing Franklin off the three point line and force them to take different shots. Franklin will likely not be a tough matchup for Butler, but the game is a good learning experience and live atmosphere to work on team chemistry and test out new game plans.

Senior forward Pierre Brooks had 23 points in the loss against Wisconsin. Photo by Ben Holmes. CALEB DENORME | SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team dropped their third straight game, this time against Wisconsin in the Indy Classic. The Bulldogs went down early and never grabbed the lead, cutting the difference to single digits a few times but never taking advantage. Senior forward Pierre Brooks led the scoring charge for the Bulldogs with 23 points , with graduate forward Patrick McCaffery adding 16 points as well.  Let’s go beyond the box score for Butler’s fourth loss of the season. Another slow start This is becoming a common trend for Butler this season. The Bulldogs opened the game and allowed a 9-0 run to put themselves in a hole early on. The Dawgs would come back to tie the game at 14-14, but it was all Wisconsin from there.  Allowing a team to go on a hot scoring streak to start off the game is not only demoralizing, it puts more pressure on the offense to produce. Butler looked panicked and untidy at times, failing to generate solid offensive looks in the first half.  “We’ve just got to start off games better,” Brooks said. “I think if we get off to a good start we’ll be in a lot more games. The last three we’ve been down [early] … and it’s hard for a team to come back like that, especially against a good team like Wisconsin.” After the Bulldogs managed to pull themselves out of the early deficit and get back in the game, the Badgers went on an 11-2 run to stretch the lead back out to nine. That became the theme of the game for the Dawgs as time ticked away. Anytime Butler got within striking distance Wisconsin would go on a tear and put themselves firmly back in front. Two big stats are Wisconsin’s points in the paint and free throws. The Badgers scored 40 of their 83 points in the lane and added 25 more on free throws alone. That means 78.3% of Wisconsin’s scoring output came from in the paint or at the charity stripe. Butler showed its usual resiliency by fighting to get back into the game at different points in the contest, but sloppy interior defending and fouling the Badgers killed off any momentum. It will be another tough loss to swallow, especially with the Big East gauntlet on the horizon.  Jahmyl Telfort goes missing Fifth-year forward – and usual top-scorer for the Bulldogs – Jahmyl Telfort ended this game with eight points on 3/10 shooting, seven rebounds and two assists . For a player that typically averages 16.2 points per game , Telfort went missing in a massive matchup. The Bulldogs tried to get him started early on, but Wisconsin’s defense was keen to double Telfort when he was in the post. Badgers head coach Greg Gard was proud of his players for how they defended Telfort. “When you hold a player of his caliber three for ten that’s a really good night,” Gard said. “There weren’t many easy shots for him. We were able to exchange a lot of things when he did get involved in ball screens and make sure he couldn’t get down lane lines for the most part.” Brooks and McCaffery picked up the scoring slack, but it was still not enough for the Dawgs. Butler needs Brooks, Telfort and preferably McCaffery to all play well together if they want to win games. This recent loss just adds to a string of disappointing early-season defeats where the Bulldogs looked severely outclassed. Now at 7-4 and looking down the barrel of Marquette and UConn , Butler needs changes fast.  “Just because you lose three games in a row doesn’t mean you’re going to have a bad season,” McCaffery said. “You’ve just … got to show up the next day, go to practice, put in the work and keep pushing forward. We have so many games left to play … so many opportunities. There’s a lot of meaningful basketball left.”

Sophomore guard Finley Bizjack had 17 points in Butler’s loss vs. UConn. Photo by Andrew Buckley. CALEB DENORME | MANAGING EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team returns home after a loss against UConn to face the DePaul Blue Demons . The Dawgs have an 8-11 record, and are 1-7 in Big East play so far this season. Butler has only won two games since early December. The Bulldogs seek to grab their second Big East win of the season and inch closer to .500 with this matchup against DePaul.  Here’s what you need to know as the Dawgs prepare to scrap with the Blue Demons: Who: Butler vs. DePaul When: January 25, 4 p.m. Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse How to watch: CBS Sports Network Building momentum Although Butler lost its previous game against the No. 19 UConn Huskies, the Bulldogs have some positives to take away from that contest. The Huskies led the way for most of the game and even opened up a 15-point lead in the first half, but the Dawgs fought back and even took the lead as time wound down in the second half. Unfortunately for Butler fans, the Bulldogs could not finish the job on the road and ultimately lost. In the loss though, the Dawgs showed an intensity and toughness that fans had not seen very much, if at all this season. Butler played hard defense, dove on the floor after loose balls and got physical with the Huskies. After going down by a sizable margin in the first half, the Bulldogs easily could have quit. Instead, Butler battled back into the game and gave UConn a run for its money. If the Dawgs can look past the result and see how their high-octane play almost gave them a win against a ranked opponent, this season could take a turn for the better. Butler will need to keep up that high-energy spirit, because the Big East slate is merciless. DePaul scouting report The Blue Demons currently have a 10-10 record , but are just 1-8 in Big East conference play. DePaul’s lone conference win came against Georgetown, but since then the Blue Demons got blown out at home by Creighton. DePaul’s record is already vastly improved from last season, when the Blue Demons went an abysmal 3-29 overall and 0-20 against the Big East. DePaul is led by a guard tandem of sophomore Jacob Meyer and junior CJ Gunn . Meyer averages 13 points per game on 41.4% shooting from the field, and 37.7% from beyond the arc. The sophomore has also attempted the most three-pointers on the team so far this season. Gunn averages 11.5 points per game on 41.7%  shooting and is second on the team in shots attempted. With most of the Blue Demons’ scoring output coming from the backcourt, the emphasis will be on Butler’s guards to limit those scoring chances. If the Bulldogs can contest shots and rebound, they will be in good shape to win this game.