Whether he was finishing a fast break with a thunderous slam dunk, putting back a missed shot or moving the ball with precision in the halfcourt for high-scoring West Liberty, Bryce Butler stood out on the hardwood.
Opposing teams were watching the sophomore put in work.They saw his end-to-end talent, and ability to change games for the Division II Hilltoppers.
But it wasn’t just basketball coaches who noticed his play.
Butler, a former Latrobe standout, was awarded with the Mountain East Conference Male Athlete of the Year.
A 6-foot-5 forward averaged 18.1 points and 7.5 rebounds as West Liberty won its fifth consecutive MEC title and earned a No. 2 national ranking.
West Liberty University men's basketball All-American Bryce Butler has been named the 2022 MEC Male Athlete of the Year! Congratulations, Bryce! #GoWLU @TopperStation @TheMountainEast @WLUHoops https://t.co/QafdX97eLZ pic.twitter.com/jMeBdxGDyi
— WLU Athletics (@WLathletics) June 30, 2022
The Hilltoppers (29-3) made the NCAA Division II Tournament for the 13th straight time.
A 1,000-point scorer, Butler shot 62% from the field and posted 11 double-doubles.
He adds his latest honor to a list that also includes NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Player of the Year, and D2CCA All-America accolades.
