BUTLER TWP — Family beat out familiarity.

Butler girls basketball senior point guard Olivia Bresnahan has verbally committed to Florida State University, ending a tumultuous few months of fielding phone calls from hopeful Division I coaches.

"It was an awesome experience that I feel fortunate to have gone through," Bresnahan said. "But the calls were getting more and more frequent. This summer was kinda crazy.

"I had to start telling some coaches no to slow down the number of calls. Once I began doing that, I knew it was time to make a decision."

Bresnahan heard from more than 100 schools during a recruiting process that began with a letter from Gardner-Webb University — when she was in eighth grade.

"It wasn't a personal letter or anything, just a form letter ... But I remember how excited I was," Bresnahan said.

She whittled her final choices down to Florida State, Vanderbilt and Illinois. She never visited Illinois because she became sold on Florida State after making a visit there.

Slippery Rock High School graduate Jence Rhoads starts at point guard for Vanderbilt.

"It was tough turning Vanderbilt down because they've been recruiting me for three years or so," Bresnahan said. "I've been down there a few times and got to know the coaches well.

"But when I went to Florida State for a visit, I seemed to fit in there. Coach (Sue) Semrau's program is like a family and the other recruits they're bringing in are great girls. Coach Epps runs a family-oriented program at Butler and I'm used to that."

Bresnahan is used to winning, too, and Florida State has been doing plenty of that.

The Seminoles won the ACC regular season title last year with a 12-2 record (26-8 overall) and have been to the NCAA Tournament each of the past five years.

Semrau is 205-160 overall in 12 seasons at Florida State and turned the program around in recent years. Last year's team finished No. 12 in the country and defeated five nationally-ranked opponents. Both of those facts are school records.

Florida State has 114 wins in the past five years, most during any five-year stretch in the program's history.

"The offense they run is similar to ours. It's up-tempo and Olivia excels in that style of play," Butler coach Dorothea Epps said.

"We're proud of her. No one on the team is jealous of her accomplishments at all because she's such a team player."

Butler is two-time section champion with Bresnahan running the point. She has already eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau.

Bresnahan averaged 18.7 points, 10.2 rebounds, six assists and three steals per game last year.

"Now that this recruiting stuff is over, I can concentrate on going after a state ring," Bresnahan said. "That's what we're aiming for. I love the fact that this program aims high."

"I know she's glad it's over," Epps said of Bresnahan's recruitment. "It was a stressful situation for her."

Courtney Ward, Florida State's current point guard, is a junior this year. The other starting guard is a senior. The two guards off the bench are a senior and junior, respectively.

"By the time I get there, spots will be open," Bresnahan saids. "Nobody's guaranteed playing time, but my goal is to get on the floor my freshman year.

"All I was told is that the best five players will start. That's all you can ask for."

Florida State's schedule this year includes games against 14 2009 NCAA Tournament teams and eight Top 25 teams. The Seminoles play six games on TV and host undefeated national champion Connecticut.

"That program plays against the best in the country and that's the challenge that Olivia wanted," Epps said.

Bresnahan will not officially sign her letter of intent until late September.

"I won't be changing my mind," she declared. "I'm 100 percent sure of this."