Butts Coming Back
(FREDERICTON, NB) Katie Butts is coming back.
After a few months of deliberating grad school options, the 6’2” forward, on the verge of reaching the 1000 regular season points plateau, has decided to remain at UNB and play her fifth and final season of U SPORTS eligibility with the REDS.
“It’s come full circle for me,” said the veteran of 71 regular season games over the past four seasons. “It’s what I wanted. I get to finish off strong. In the end, I found a university that I want to do five years in, and here we are.”
The 2024-2025 season was a breakout season for Butts.
She started all 21 of UNB’s regular season and playoff games, was second in scoring in Atlantic University Sport and earned AUS 1st Team All-Star status.
“I’m very glad she’ll finish her career as a RED,” said REDS’ head coach Erin McAleenan. “Katie really stepped up for our young squad during a rebuild season last year. Her ability to clean up on the boards, attract multiple defenders every possession, and find her teammates for open looks were keys to our team’s successes. Katie not only led with her performance on the court, but she really found her voice to help guide our team through the challenges during games.”
With a career 44.9 field goal shooting percentage, Butts has averaged more than nine rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game over four seasons.
She considered another school, along with UNB, for her graduate studies, but in the end couldn’t bring herself to leave.
“It would’ve been a really hard decision to leave,” she said. “I’ve always played in red and black, even in high school, so I think it was just meant to be that this is how I finish my career.”
Butts will lead a talented REDS team into the 2025-2026 campaign, one that will also see the return of guard Kylee Speedy from injury.
They join last season’s AUS Rookie of the Year, Addie Mombourquette and a veteran-laden line-up that will include Leah Travers, Ann Bastien, Maheva Ngassam, Lillian Fuller, and several impressive soon-to-be second year REDS. Add a solid recruiting class and Butts has plenty to be excited about.
“We have a lot of individual skill that comes together really well,” believes Butts. “It’ll be tough because we have so many scorers on this team and so many people that are able to do such great things, so we’ll see how things go, but I know, no matter what, we’re going to be a team to beat.”
“With more scoring threats across the board, and better shooting from beyond the arc, it will be a bigger challenge for our opponents to decide how to defend Katie,” said Coach McAleenan. “Her ability to shoot over her opponents, finish at the rim, or hit the three, make her a very challenging match up.”
Butts, named to the AUS All-Rookie Team in 2021-2022, has scored 970 regular season points in her four seasons so far.
She’s eager to accomplish a lot in her final season, but her first goal is surpassing 1000 points.
“I want to accomplish that on our home court, hopefully in the home opener, and with my family watching,” said Butts. “The rest of the goal would be to win all season and enjoy, have fun, and bring home a banner.”
Like Butts, McAleenan is eager to see what the coming season brings.
“Katie has a very strong connection with our community and her teammates, so after the uncertainty over the last few months, I’m thrilled that she has committed to returning and am excited to see what we can accomplish together.”
Butts and her REDS teammates open the 2025-2026 Atlantic University Sport season on Friday, October 24th, when they host the UPEI Panthers. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00pm.
The REDS will host the 2025 Helen Campbell Tournament, an exhibition season fixture, October 3-5, at UNB’s Richard J. Currie Center. That tournament will also feature the STFX X-Women, the Ottawa Gee-Gees, and Lethbridge Pronghorns.
STORY BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
FILE PHOTO BY: James West/for UNB Athletics