Senior Salute: JC Butler

GOING INTERNATIONAL

With just a few weeks of collegiate experience under his belt, JC Butler joined the returning Anteaters on a trip to South Korea where UC Irvine played in the 2018 Asia Pacific University Basketball Challenge. The Anteaters won four of their five games, facing the likes of South Korea, Japan, Philippines, Chinese Taipei, and Russia. 

“The South Korea trip was something new that I had never done before,” said Butler. “I had a lot of fun my first time traveling with the team, exploring around the city, and playing teams from around the world.”

Butler finished the trip averaging 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.2 steals, and 0.4 assists per game.

IMMEDIATE IMPACT

As a true freshman, Butler played in 30 of UC Irvine’s 37 games where he averaged 1.4 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. With a 15-1 record in Big West play, UCI won the regular season title for the fourth time.

“JC came in as a freshman and carved out a meaningful role during the best season in school history and has been an integral part of multiple championship teams,” remarked assistant coach Michael Wilder.

UCI defeated Cal State Fullerton, 92-64 to capture the 2019 Big West Tournament title, the largest margin of victory in Big West Tournament championship game history.  Butler saw 18 minutes of action in the championship finale, bringing down a gam high five rebounds.

The ‘Eaters were hot during the 2018-19 campaign, winning 17 straight contests, good for the most consecutive wins in program history. UC Irvine won 31 contests that season, another monumental moment in program history.

ONE FOR THE BOOKS

Butler and the Anteaters made the program’s second trip to the NCAA Tournament, adding another accomplishment to his young resume. UCI faced off against fourth-seeded Kansas State in the first round where Butler registered two rebounds in 15 minutes. The ‘Eaters topped the Wildcats, 70-64, marking the program’s first NCAA victory.

“Getting the opportunity to be a part of one of the best teams the program has seen was amazing to experience and playing in games that I grew up watching was unreal,” stated Butler.

The forward saw 12 minutes of action in the second-round contest against Oregon, capping the end of the road for the best team in UC Irvine history.

“He's a champion who earned a role on the best team in the school’s history,” said assistant coach Alex Young. “He should be proud of everything he's accomplished!”

GROWING INTO HIS ROLE

During the 2019-20 slate, Butler utilized his redshirt season to spend time developing into the player he is today.

While putting in the extra work on the court and in the weight room, the forward had an impact on the championship culture from the sidelines. The Anteaters went 21-11 that season and earned the program’s fifth Big West regular season crown. 

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Toughness and competitiveness are words that the coaching staff have used to describe Butler’s impact on UC Irvine as top defensive player.

“As a player, JC has made sacrifice in this program,” remarked head coach Russell Turner. “He has been an incredible teammate and his specialty has been his defense. He has fought hard to do the difficult things and has done them every day that he’s been here.”

Associate head coach Ryan Badrtalei mentioned, “JC has added so much to our program both on and off the court and has strengthened our program over the past five years. His toughness, competitiveness, and defensive tenacity has made the difference in many of our games over his career.”

As a defensive specialist, Butler grabbed a career best nine rebounds in the win over La Sierra on December 2, 2020, and averaged 2.3 and 2.5 boards per game in his redshirt sophomore and redshirt junior campaigns.

HIGHLY EFFICIENT SHOOTER

Aside from his defensive prowess, Butler is one of the most effective and efficient shooters for UC Irvine over the last three years. Over the course of three seasons, the forward has shot at a 0.480 clip (157-327) from the floor. 

His redshirt senior campaign has seen Butler have one of his best shooting seasons, going 45-92 (0.489) from the field and 14-31 (0.452) from three-point range.

LEFT HIS MARK

In his five years as an Anteater, Butler has embodied what it means to be able to wear the UC Irvine uniform. Each one of his coaches and teammates can agree that JC exudes the true definition of a teammate. 

“JC has grown into an incredible teammate and someone who has continued to have impact on this program, our foundation, and our core values on ways that as a coach I can’t even begin to thank him for,” remarked Turner. “There is no better way to have a team culture of those things than to have a player who embodies that type of sacrifice.”

“He is a winner, someone that shows up every day and finds a way to have impact on the team and in every game he plays,” stated Badrtalei. “JC’s an incredible teammate and one that everyone in the locker room knows they can count on.

“I think JC is one of the best team players we have had here,” said Wilder. “No matter what role he takes on, he shows up every day ready to work, hasn’t missed a day of practice or games, and has always performed under the bright lights. As an alum, I could not be prouder of the way JC has represented our program.”