Billings Central's Mya Hansen is going to the Big East Conference.
Hansen, who recently decommited from the University of Montana, has given a verbal commitment to Butler University in Indianapolis, as first reported by Mike Scherting of the Billings Gazette.
"The big thing for me was taking away that verbal (to Montana). I just had some great opportunities and I wanted to take the time to take it all in. It was good for me to take that step back and look around," Hansen told MTN Sports. "When I went to Butler and toured the school and everything, I just knew it was the place I wanted to be and the place I wanted to play basketball."
During her visit to Butler, Hansen said she felt right at home. The academic prowess of Butler was one of the big lures for Hansen, who tentatively plans on studying health sciences with an emphasis on physical therapy.
Butler head coach Kurt Godlevske reached out to Hansen after seeing her play on her AAU team. Hansen will join a conference loaded with some of the nation's best teams, including perennial powerhouse Connecticut.
"Just playing against great competition, that's the big thing for me. It will just help me build even more as a player. It's just awesome to get that experience to play against some great teams. I just love being around that competitive atmosphere where each game is a fighting game, so I'm really looking forward to it," Hansen said. "The coaching staff and who you're surrounded with in the community, it's just a great place to be. The coaching staff, it's a family there and they run a great program. They will make me a better person and a better player."
Hansen will get the opportunity to play her home games at Hinkle Fieldhouse, one of the nation's most historic basketball venues.
"It's pretty much the basketball cathedral there. It's just awesome that I'll be playing my home games there," Hansen said.
Hansen has amassed more than 1,000 career points during her three years in high school - one at Laurel and two at Billings Central. She helped Central finish as co-state champions in 2020 and runner-up in 2021.
Hansen was named the 2020-21 MaxPreps Montana high school girls basketball player of the year after averaging 17.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 52% from the floor, 50% from 3-point land and 90% from the free throw line, according to MaxPreps.
