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For Austin Parkinson, rebuilding Butler women's basketball starts at home

First-year coach Austin Parkinson has a plan for rebuilding Butler women's basketball, which has won only four games the past two seasons (1-27 last year). And it begins with in-state recruiting.

"We need to be the first choice when they choose schools," the former IUPUI coach said during his introductory news conference April 12. "We have to get that group of players to believe in Butler women's basketball."

Those words are already being backed by action.

Within hours of being named head coach, Parkinson was contacting recruits, including Hamilton Southeastern junior Riley Makalusky, a 6-2 guard who averaged 17.