Westmoreland County college basketball preview: Bryce Butler looks to write final chapter at Charleston

The next chapter of Bryce Butler’s sparkling college basketball career is in the jump circle.

Curiosity and opportunity led the former Latrobe standout to a Division I program, the College of Charleston, where he will spend his fifth season.

Butler emerged as one of the top Division II players in the country in recent seasons as a four-year standout at West Liberty, where he used his covid waiver as a sophomore.

More than 60 schools showed interest in the 6-foot-5, 200-pound swingman when he entered the transfer portal in the spring.

He strongly considered Ohio and Toledo, but Charleston won out.

Charleston won the Colonial Athletic Association regular-season and conference-tournament championships last year and finished 31-4.

“Playing D-I basketball was always a dream of mine growing up,” 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 led West Liberty to the Division II national championship game, where he scored a game-high 32 points in a 111-101 loss to Nova Southeastern.

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

Another area player to watch at the D-I level is 6-11 forward Brandon Stone, who is a grad student in his second season at Delaware State.

Stone, who played at Southmoreland, began his college career at La Salle before transferring to Robert Morris.

Last season, he played in 11 games and averaged 11.1 points and 5.1 rebounds over 23.2 minutes.

Here is a list of Westmoreland County players to watch this season on the college hardwood:

Men

Division I

• Bryce Butler, Grad, G, College of Charleston (Latrobe)

• Zach Rocco, Sr., G, Army (Penn-Trafford)

• Brandon Stone, Grad, F, Delaware State (Southmoreland)

Division II

• Ryan Appleby, So., F, Seton Hill (Greensburg Central Catholic)

• Adam Bilinsky, Fr., G, Mercyhurst (Norwin)

• Ty Bilinsky, R-So., G, Pitt-Johnstown (Norwin)

• Landon Butler, Fr., G, Montevallo, Ala. (Latrobe)

• Kadyn Hannah, Jr., F, Cal, Pa. (Franklin Regional)

Division III

• Tyler Campbell, Jr. F, La Roche (Penn-Trafford)

• Cade Cavanaugh, Jr., F, Penn College (Greensburg Salem)

-Riley Comforti, Jr., G, Carlow (Southmoreland)

• Ryan Edwards, Fr., G, Geneva (Norwin)

• Geoff Helm, Sr., G/F, Chatham (Greensburg Central Catholic)

• Brandon Learn, So., G, Washington & Jefferson (Hempfield)

• Matthew Marinchak, So., G, Pitt-Greensburg (Ligonier Valley)

• Gio Merola, Fr. G, Carlow (Jeannette)

• Mike Noonan, Sr., F, Allegheny (Latrobe)

• Harrison Sowers, Fr. G, Washington & Jefferson (Hempfield)

-Ben Thomas, So., G, Pitt-Greensburg (Greensburg Salem)

• Brevan Williams, So., F, Carlow (Greensburg Central Catholic)

Women

Division I

• Emma Blair, Fr., F, USC Upstate (Latrobe)

Division II

• Maria Brush, Jr., G, Seton Hill (Franklin Regional)

• Olivia Cernuto, Fr., G, Gannon (Southmoreland)

• Camille Dominick, Fr., F, Pitt-Johnstown (Latrobe)

• Bailey Kuhns, So., F, Mercyhurst (Greensburg Central Catholic)

• Sarah Liberatore, Jr., G, Florida Tech (Hempfield)

• Abby Mankins, So., G/F, Seton Hill (Greensburg Salem)

• Anna Rafferty, So., F, IUP (Latrobe)

• Bella Skatell, Grad, G, Seton Hill (Greensburg Central Catholic)

Division III

• Jada Bass, Sr., G, Carlow (Jeannette)

• Kate Botti, Fr., F, Bethany (Norwin)

• Olivia Gribble, Sr., G, Marietta (Norwin)

• Alyssa Laukus, So., F, Chatham (Norwin)

• Chloe Lukondi, So., G, Pitt-Greensburg (Norwin)

• Melina Maietta, Jr., G, Pitt-Greensburg (Greensburg Central Catholic)

• Brooke McCoy, Fr., G, Grove City (Hempfield)

• Tiana Moracco, So., G, Pitt-Greensburg (Derry)

• Sarah Penrod, Fr., G, Pitt-Greensburg (Franklin Regional)

• Mara Polczynski, Jr., G, Grove City (Norwin)

• Maura Suman, Jr., G, Edinboro (Penn-Trafford)

• Brianna Zajicek, So., G, Cedarville (Norwin)

NAIA

• Jayla Wehner, Sr., G, Marian (Norwin)