Bartlett's Callie Dennison commits to Butler

Bartlett junior Callie Dennison knew she wanted to play Division I softball. She also knew not to wait too long to accept a scholarship offer.

So, on Sunday night, Dennison gave Butler University coach Jeanne Rayman her verbal commitment to accept an offer to play for the Bulldogs.

"I went on two visits and I was able to meet the team and I loved them," said Dennison. "That made the experience so much better. The coaches are awesome, the campus is beautiful and the academics are just what I wanted."

Dennison has been Bartlett's No. 1 pitcher this season and has a record of 12-10, but an ERA of 1.65. Also a smooth shortstop, she is hitting .320 with 24 RBI.

"This is real nice for Callie, to get it out of the way," Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith said. "It's hard to go into your senior year an unknown. We're real proud of her. She's worked hard."

At Butler, which is in Indianapolis, Dennison will join a program on the rise. In Rayman's third season, the Bulldogs set a program record for wins this season with 26. They went 12-11 in the Horizon League, which includes the likes of UIC, Valparaiso, Cleveland State, Loyola-Chicago and Wright State, among others.

Dennison, whose sister Corinne is a former Daily Herald All-Area co-captain and now a standout at NAIA power Bethel College in Indiana, said she, too, is happy to have her college decision made early.

"Every year it seems like if you want to play Division I you have to (commit) earlier and earlier," said Dennison, who also praised the support of her family, including dad Brad, mom Pek Hwa, and brother Thijs, who is a Bartlett assistant coach. "If you wait too long you never know what you're going to pass by. Now it will be a relaxing summer and senior year."

Dennison, who helped lead the Bartlett Silver Hawks club team to the ASA Northern National championship last summer, said she hasn't decided a course of study at Butler, but her interests vary from the law to animal studies. She has a 3.85 GPA, scored a 25 on her ACT and is in the top 10 percent of her class at Bartlett.