BUTLER TWP — When others zig, Julia Baxter tends to zag.

When the Butler High School graduate and Butler County Community College sophomore is away from the basketball court, she enjoys unicycling, slacklining and is teaching herself how to juggle.

Baxter has always been willing to try new things.

“I'm willing to try just about anything at least once,” Baxter said.

“If you're not willing to try something,” she explains, “then how will you ever know if you like it?”

It's a simple philosophy and one that also led her to the BC3 women's basketball team two years ago.

Baxter, who was a dominant player at times in high school for the Golden Tornado, was only receiving a smattering of Division III offers when she decided to play for the Pioneers.

She turned in a stellar freshman season there, averaging 23.1 points and 14.4 rebounds per game.

But she wanted more.

Baxter returned this season and was an even bigger force, becoming the first women's player in Pioneer history to reach 1,000 career points and finished the season with 26.3 points and 17.6 rebounds per game.

On Friday, Baxter was named to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III All-American team.

“Before the season started, I made a list of goals I wanted to accomplish,” Baxter said. “One of the things on that list was to make the All-American team — I was told I just missed it last year.”

Scoring 1,000 career points was also on that list. In doing that, Baxter joined a very exclusive group at BC3 that includes Bryant Lewandowski, Matt Lobaugh and Austin Miller.

She finished with 1,162 career points and 754 career rebounds.

“The team definitely helped me — a lot,” Baxter said. “I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without them, that's for sure.”

Baxter helped the Pioneers to back-to-back Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference championships.

Baxter said playing for the Pioneers helped her confidence more than anything else.

“It made me believe in myself,” she said. “Being here made me realize what kind of player I could be and what kind of player I still want to become and would like to be.”

Baxter's game evolved at BC3.

On some possessions she brought the ball up the court and directed the offense.

“I was able to create and call plays for the team,” Baxter said. “That was exciting. Other than ballhandling, I also improved my post moves and overall shooting ability. I shot at a much higher percentage, even inside on layups, because I was stronger.”

The next stage of her career will happen at Slippery Rock University next season.

Baxter committed to playing there early in her BC3 career.

It was her only real choice.

“I just had a feeling I would end up at SRU,” Baxter said. “Playing there was always on my mind.”

Baxter has honed her workout routine to a science and said she'll have to dive into the weight room even more to get ready for the rigors of NCAA Division II basketball.

Her workouts have also allowed the 5-foot-11 Baxter to increase her vertical leap exponentially since her days at Butler.

Baxter can now jump and grab the rim.

“At the very end of my junior year (at Butler), I could barely tip the rim,” Baxter said. “Now I can get my fingers over it.”

She says playing other sports, like track and field, has helped her leaping ability. So has unicycling and slacklining.

“It all goes together,” she said. “Anything you can do athletically like that helps.”

Is dunking in her future?

She laughs.

“That's the goal,” she said.