Head women's basketball coach Jill Slominski has announced the addition of three players, Claire Burch, Kaitlynn Butaud, and Kaitlyn Baird, to the 2017 recruiting class. These players will join Alexis James (Mansfield, Mo.), Natalie Denzer (Kansas City, Mo.), and Macyn Wilbers (Jefferson City, Mo.) as incoming freshmen for the Cardinals. 


Burch is local product, who hails from Lee's Summit, Mo and Lee's Summit High School. The 5'9 forward earned ten total varsity letters as a prep athlete, including four on the hardwood. She is a two-time All-Conference selection while serving as a team captain. As a senior she led the Tigers to a runner up finish in the Class 5A State Tournament. On the track she is a four-year letter winner, and has earned All-Conference and All-State honors in the high jump after finishing eighth in 2016. 

Also successful in the classroom, Burch is a four-time academic letter winner and Principal's Honor Roll member, and attended the prestigious Missouri Girls State. The daughter of Wayne and Sydney Burch, Claire plans to major in pre-medicine and says she chose William Jewell for "the positive environment that always encased me every time I stepped on campus whether it was from current students, faculty, or coaches. It feel good to attend a college for the next four years that will have my best interest in mind academically and athletically." 



A prolific shooter, Butaud is the daughter of Mike and Christine Butaud and is a native of Olathe, Kan. The 5'11 guard earned four varsity letters at Olathe South High School and led the Falcons to three Sunflower League Championships, four Sub-State Championships, and four appearances in the Class 6A Kansas State Tournament. She finished her career ranked seventh all-time at OSHS in three point field goals made and three point shooting percentage, while also sitting in a tie for third for threes made in a single game. As a senior, she was named to the State Tournament All-Tournament team, after averaging 14 points per game and leading her team to a third place finish. During her career she was also named to the All-Tournament team at the McPherson Classic and was an Honorable Mention All-Conference selection.

Off the court, Butaud has earned the President's Award for Educational Excellence and is involved in Peer Mentoring and serves as a volunteer at the Olathe Animal Shelter. A future biology major, she says "I like that William Jewell is a smaller school but is very progressive and challenging academically. Out of all the schools I visited, I feel like Jewell is the best fit for me and I am very excited to play for Coach Slominski."



Baird comes to Jewell from Springfield, Mo., by way of Glendale High School. The 6'0 guard earned All-Conference honors in 2016 while also scoring a career high 25 points and blocked eight shots in a single game. Another outstanding student, she is a two-time Academic All-Conference selection and will graduate ranked in the top 20 percent of her senior class. 

The daughter of Tom and Brooke Baird, Kaitlyn plans to major in psychology and says that Jewell felt right immediately. "I chose William Jewell because the atmosphere was so welcoming. I felt that my first steps on campus, I could see myself going to Jewell and playing basketball."