CEDAR CITY, Utah - Harrison Butler has been a staple mark for Southern Utah men's basketball since the 2018-19 season; and, after four highly successful seasons on the hardwood for the Thunderbirds, Butler is back for a fifth and final season. 

When Butler was presented with the opportunity to return to Southern Utah and compete for the Thunderbirds for another season, the choice was easy.

"I love going to college here," said Butler. "If I could get a sixth year, I would probably take it. I'm really excited for this season, but in a way, I'm actually more sad than I am excited, because I love it here."

Butler began his collegiate career at Southern Utah in 2018 after a stellar career at well-renowned Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California. Growing up in an area as large as Orange County, it's easy to think that a city as small as Cedar City, Utah would not be appealing to Butler; but, it was quite the opposite. 

"A big factor in my decision to attend SUU was the community. I've always wanted to go to school in a college town; that's always something I thought would be really cool. I wasn't too keen on some of the schools in bigger areas that recruited me, because I didn't want to move to another big city. That combined with Coach Simon were two of the main reasons that I came to SUU."

Butler made an immediate impact on the Southern Utah men's basketball program upon enrolling. In his freshman season, he appeared in 33 out of 34 games, starting in 15 of them. Butler averaged a solid 10.3 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game throughout the 2018-19 season, finishing the year ranked eighth in the conference in field-goal percentage (.492) and rebounding. 

In his sophomore season, Butler appeared in all 32 games for SUU, compiling season averages of 7.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He helped lead Southern Utah to a 17-15 overall record and marquee wins on the road against Nebraska and Montana, both of which Butler would consider two of the most memorable games of his career.

"When we beat Montana my sophomore year, that was the first time we had beaten them in over 10 years, I believe. It was just so much fun, and after the game, everyone was really excited in the locker room. We were throwing water on each other, and I'll just never forget that. I think my favorite game might have to be playing at Nebraska though, when we beat them in double overtime." 

In his junior season, Butler had another strong year as a consistent presence on the court for Southern Utah, appearing in all 24 games and helping to lead Southern Utah to their first-ever Big Sky Regular Season Championship. Butler finished the season with averages of 8.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 45.6 percent from the field. 

This past year, Butler again had an impressive campaign for SUU, appearing in 34 out of 35 games and posting season averages of 7.9 points and 4.1 rebounds. Butler became just the 10th Thunderbirds to eclipse the 1,000-point scoring mark for his career after a 10-point outing to help SUU secure a road victory over Idaho State. 

"It was actually kind of a shock when I did it, because I had no idea that I was that close to 1,000 points. Coach Simon told me a few games before I did it that I was 60 points away, and I didn't think it was correct. To actually achieve the 1,000-point mark was pretty cool. Now I'm just competing with Maize to be the all-time leading rebounder here."

Butler has amassed 645 rebounds throughout his career, currently ranking second all-time in program history. He will enter the 2022-23 season 68 rebounds behind Maizen Fausett, as they both chase the honor of being the all-time leading rebounder in SUU men's basketball history. 

Butler has aspirations of playing professional basketball after his career at Southern Utah is over, but for now, his focus is entirely on making his last season the best yet. 

"I'm excited to play in a new conference and go up against some new teams. It should be fun. I really just want to go out there and enjoy the time I have left as much as I can, because I'm definitely going to miss it when it's over."

Butler has been a key component of the SUU men's basketball program for the past four years; but, Southern Utah has had a major impact on him, as well.

"I've seen this place go from a six-win season to a 17-win season, to back-to-back 20-win seasons. It's really cool to have been a part of this and see this program grow as much as it has. I'm really happy for all of the coaching staff here, and I've been able to see some of them move up during my time here. Everything about playing for SUU has just been awesome."

Butler has built a special relationship with the coaching staff here throughout his time, and he reiterated how important that has been to him. 

"They've helped me grow as a person, and I go into their offices all the time just to talk to them and hang out. It really is a big family here, and everyone has helped me through a lot, and they always pull through for me."

In his free time, Butler enjoys hanging out with his friends, watching TV, and playing Xbox, particularly Fortnite, Call of Duty Warzone, and Apex Legends. His favorite thing about living in Cedar City is the convenience of everything being so close to him.

Butler could have a massive year in store for him, as he has taken more of a leadership role during this offseason and will seek to have his most productive season yet in what will be his last in a Thunderbird uniform.

Follow Us

For all the latest on Southern Utah men's basketball, follow @SUUBasketball on Twitter and Instagram and like the Southern Utah Basketball Facebook page.