Topic: Brian Butch

Brian Butch (born December 22, 1984 in Appleton, Wisconsin) was a center on the 2003 McDonald's All-American basketball team who attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison on a basketball scholarship. He is a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) and is nicknamed the "Polar Bear."

He went to Appleton West High School, Butch was a two-time Wisconsin State Player of the Year by the Associated Press. He averaged 22.8 points and 10.1 rebounds as a senior, leading Appleton West High School to a 23-3 record and the Division 1 State Championship game in 2003. He broke a 35-year old Wisconsin state tournament record by scoring 45 points in the quarterfinals, which was held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Kohl Center. Butch averaged 30.8 points in four games at the Kohl Center over his prep career.

Butch was later named a 2003 McDonald's All-American ("West" squad) where he shared the court with players such as LeBron James and Luol Deng. He scored 6 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in the nationally-televised contest.