Peoria, Ill. ? Third-year Bradley head coach Scott Petersen has announced the signings of three highly-regarded athletes to his 2006-07 roster as Jessica Buterbaugh (Paradise Valley, Ariz./Chaparral), Kelly Donohue (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Academy) and Emily Regenold (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton) have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Braves this fall.
A four-year starter at No. 1 singles at perennial Arizona high school power Chaparral, Buterbaugh comes to the Hilltop on the heals of her 2006 Arizona 4A Division I doubles title with youngest sister Jordan and a team runner-up finish.
The native of suburban Phoenix is ranked ninth in G18 doubles and 10th in G18 singles in the Southwest Region rankings as well as being the No. 1 rated doubles player in the women's open division.
Buterbaugh is a four-time team captain and MVP as well as a National Honor Roll and Who's Who Amongst America's High School Students honoree. Collegiate tennis runs in the family as her older sister Jamie played No. 1 singles at Gonzaga and was an honorable mention All-WCC selection in 2004.
Donohue comes to Peoria after making a quarterfinal appearance in the 2006 Kentucky State Championships in doubles as the No. 1 rated G18 singles player and the No. 8 ranked G18 doubles player in the state of Kentucky.
While at Sacred Heart Academy, Donohue was a three-time No. 1 singles player, part of the 2004 state runner-up team and a 2005 regional singles champion.
An all-around athlete, Donohue was a member of two Kentucky cross country state championship teams.
Regenold becomes the third alumnus of Ohio tennis power Cincinnati Princeton High School to hit the courts for the Braves, joining men's players Wil Lofgren and Matt Metully.
The first-team all-conference performer was a perfect 9-0 in conference play and 22-1 in regular season competition including a conference title at No. 2 singles.
In junior competition, Regenold is a two-time member of championship Wightman Cup teams, a round of 32 qualifier at the 2005 G18 Midwest Closed tournament and holds an Ohio Valley regional ranking of 24.
Buterbaugh, Donohue and Regenold join a young roster that graduates just one senior off of last year's squad that captured its first MVC Tournament win since 1994 and posted a 6-14 overall mark.
