Westmoreland County freshmen making immediate impact on college hardwood

When Montevallo men’s basketball coach Anthony Komara came to Landon Butler and told the true freshman he would be starting in the season opener, Butler didn’t get sweaty palms.

Even if the opponent was the defending NCAA Division II national champion, Nova Southeastern, the team his brother, Bryce, faced in the title game while playing for West Liberty.

Sure, the 6-foot-4 first-year guard felt anxious, but, just the same, his eyes widened with anticipation. This was, after all, good news.

“Coach told me I would be starting the first game of the season a few days before that game at practice that week,” said Landon Butler, a Latrobe graduate. “I was really excited but nervous with it being my first college game and playing the D-II national champions. It was nice to see my hard work was paying off.”

Butler, who started seven of Montevallo’s first 17 games, averaging 22.2 minutes, had 15 points in the opener, a 124-96 loss, and also had double-digit scoring games against Shorter (12) and Valdosta State (11).

Butler isn’t the only local first-year player making an immediate impact at the college level. Other Westmoreland County freshmen who have been thrust into starting roles or have been playing big minutes right away include Sarah Penrod (Franklin Regional) of Pitt-Greensburg; Kate Botti (Norwin) of Bethany; Adam Bilinsky (Norwin), who began at Mercyhurst but has transferred to Pitt-Johnstown; Camille Dominick (Latrobe) at Pitt-Johnstown; Olivia Cernuto (Southmoreland) of Gannon; Laney Gerdich (Yough) of Juniata; and Lily Palladino (Penn-Trafford) of Penn State Behrend.

Montevallo is located in Alabama, about 40 miles south of Birmingham. It plays in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. It was there where Butler found a connection and, with it, a proper fit.

Butler made four 3-pointers against Nova Southeastern and Valdosta. He had six steals against Barry.

The third-born of four basketball-playing brothers in a family that knows no other game — his parents have traveled far and wide, even overseas, to watch their sons play — Butler carries a torch that burns brightly.

He is genetically predisposed to being a good player.

Austin Butler, the Latrobe boys all-time leading scorer, is playing professionally in Belgium following a stint in Finland. He was a standout at Holy Cross for four years and played a season at Charlotte.

Bryce Butler is in his fifth season of college ball, at The College of Charleston, after four strong years at West Liberty.

The youngest, Max Butler, is a junior and leading scorer on Latrobe’s current team.

“My brothers have been some of my biggest supporters and also my hardest critics, in a good way,” Landon Butler said. “There is definitely some pressure following the successes they have had, but I wouldn’t be where I am without them. They push me and motivate me. I think we are three different players, but I do feel as a player, I have a lot of good qualities from both of them.

“I try not to think about the pressure as I am trying to create my own path.”

Landon Butler said the competition has been eye-opening but also revealing. He has shown he can play at the Division II level.

“We played some nationally ranked teams during our out-of-conference part of the schedule, so I had to try my best to adjust to the change in speed and physicality from high school to college, probably faster than I expected,” he said. “I feel like those games have helped me get to where I am now. We have had a lot of changes on our team, but we are adjusting and are growing as a team. I think it is showing in how we have been playing the last few games.”

Penrod, a talented scorer and defensive guard when she played at Franklin Regional, has taken to the Division III game. She started the first 16 games and was third on the team in minutes played (30.2 per game).

She said she could not have asked for a better introduction to college ball.

“The team feels like a second family to me, and we’re all so close,” she said. “I was surprised on how different it is compared to high school basketball. It’s such a different atmosphere, and it is more challenging going from the oldest on the court to the youngest.”

Moving from a shooting-guard role to the point has made Penrod’s role even more challenging.

“The transition was scary at first, but I feel like I settled in,” she said. “I was surprised that I moved into the first five so quickly, but I know I have been working hard since coming off my foot surgery and my hard work reflected the way I’ve been playing.”

UPG’s roster was reduced to nine because of injuries. The short rotation also includes key county players in junior 1,000-point scorer Melina Maietta (Greensburg Central Catholic) and sophomore Tiana Moracco (Derry).

The 5-6 Penrod (9.9 points, 4.4 rebounds) has scored in double figures eight times, including a season-high 18 points against Alfred State. She was tied for the team lead in 3-pointers (27) with another true freshman in Malina Boord (McKeesport). Penrod also has two 10-rebound games for the Bobcats (7-9, 5-4 AMCC).

She came back from a foot injury she suffered at the start of her senior season of high school. The injury cost her the Roundball Classic, and she wore a boot. She had surgery in August.

“The healing process took about a month after surgery,” she said, “and I was back for preseason.”

Botti has snagged the Division III Presidents’ Athletic Conference player and newcomer of the week awards on separate occasions as a key part of the Bethany frontcourt. She was 17-for-17 in starts, while providing 5.5 points and 6.9 rebounds in 21.8 minutes.

She had a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double against Waynesburg.

The speed of the game also has been an adjustment for Botti, a 6-foot forward.

“The biggest difference in college to me is the pace of the game,” she said. “The shot clock makes a big difference, too. I thought that playing with a shot clock would make me anxious or nervous, but I really like it. My team likes to play fast here, but it doesn’t feel much different because Norwin was always fast paced.

“I think I’ve handled the transition well. All the nerves went away after the first game or two.”

Bilinsky played nine games off the bench at Mercyhurst before opting to transfer to be closer to his family, in this case, his brother, Ty, who plays at Pitt-Johnstown.

He is determined to find peace on and off the court at his second D-II PSAC school.

Adam Bilinsky, the TribLive Westmoreland player of the year last season, averaged 7.6 points, including 16 against Roberts Wesleyan.

Dominick (4.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg) was playing 11.7 minutes a game through the first 15 games in Johnstown.

The 6-foot forward had back-to-back double-figure games, scoring 10 against Edinboro and 13 when the Mountain Cats played IUP.

Cernuto, a three-sport star at Southmoreland — she also was a 100-goal scorer in soccer and a state-qualifying jumper in track and field — played in 17 of the team’s first 19 games, averaging 13 minutes as a reserve guard.

Back after an 2022 ACL tear and the lengthy rehab that came with it, she had a 10-point game against Kutztown and had six assists against Walsh and Kutztown. Cernuto missed her senior basketball season in high school.

Two others are making strides at Division III programs.

Gerdich, a 6-foot center, started nine of the first 16 games at Juniata. Her 53.5 shooting percentage is valued as much as her 4.7 points and 6.4 rebounds.

She had a double-double against Lycoming with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Palladino also wasted no time moving into a key role. She started the first 15 games for Behrend and provided 6.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals.

She had three double-digit scoring games and pulled down 12 rebounds in another.