LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Coach Chancellor Dugan announced a trio of signings Friday to the latest recruiting class of the Bellarmine University women's basketball team.

Gracie Merkle is a local product and 6-foot-6 center from Bullitt East High School, Miyah Brown is a 5-10 guard from Winnebago High School in Rockford, Illinois, and Jayla Butler is a 5-5 guard from Milwaukee School of Languages in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Merkle is the No. 2-ranked player in Kentucky for the class of 2022 by Prep Girls Hoops. Last season, she was named first-team All-State and Sixth Region Player of the Year by The Courier Journal in addition to being acknowledged as the Bullitt County Player of the Year by The Pioneer News after averaging 17.9 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game while making a state-best 73.5 percent of her field-goal attempts.

"Gracie is the tallest player that I've ever signed," Dugan said. "I'm so excited to have her with us; she can change the game on both ends of the floor. She has great hands and footwork. She will only get better every year."

The past two seasons Merkle helped guide Bullitt East to back-to-back Sixth Region titles and berths in the Sweet Sixteen of the Kentucky state tournament. Also a two-time honorable-mention All-State selection by the CJ, she was named to the 2020 Kentucky Girls Future Stars Team.

"I decided to sign with Bellarmine because I had a great relationship with the coaching staff, and I appreciate the community support," Merkle said. "Also with them just turning Division I, I thought it would be really cool to be one of the first few classes to play D1 with Bellarmine."

Brown was named first-team All-State as a sophomore and junior at Winnebago and last season was recognized as the Rock River Basketball Player of the Year by the Rockford Register Star and The Journal-Standard after averaging 18 points, 8 rebounds, 4.2 steals and 2.4 assists per game. She's started at the varsity level since her freshman season and swept first-team All-Conference honors along the way.

"Miyah has great length, is very athletic and LOVES playing defense! She will help speed us up and, with her length, she will be great on our press," Dugan said. "She can score from all three levels and rebounds off the edge."

Brown helped lead her team to the super sectionals as a freshman, the sectionals as a sophomore and to an undefeated run in conference play last season. She joined the program's 1,000-point club as just a sophomore.

"I chose Bellarmine University because I felt it was the best place to grow, both on the court and in the classroom," Brown said.

Butler said the pandemic greatly affected Milwaukee School of Languages' season last year but the team was a regional champion her freshman season. Butler is a floor general, occupying the point-guard position.

"Jayla can really push the ball and get her shot; she is also a very good passer and a great defender," Dugan said. "She is a very exciting player who plays with a ton of energy."

"I chose to sign with Bellarmine University because when I visited, it wasn't too big or too small of a college," Butler said. "I feel like I can succeed at Bellarmine academically and athletically; also they have one of the best physical therapy programs, which will be my major. Lastly, they made me feel really welcomed, and I'm so grateful that I'm attending here."

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