Butler girls Alyssa Either and Jenna Kunst, joined by coach Mark Maier, sign with Mercyhurst where they will play basketball.

BUTLER TWP — Alyssa Eyth and Jenna Kunst have been basketball teammates since the third grade.

That's going to last a little longer.

The two Butler seniors signed letters of intent Wednesday to continue their academic and basketball careers at Mercyhurst University.

“I went up there for a visit and saw how good their biology program was,” said Kunst, a senior forward with the Golden Tornado. “That's what I want to study and I knew Alyssa wanted to go into that field, too.

“I told her about it, Mercyhurst was recruiting her and now we're both going.”

Kunst averaged 12 points and five rebounds per game for Butler last season. Eyth averaged 12 points per contest as well.

The two made their overnight visit together, met the team together and will be roommates together next year.

“Almost right away, we felt like we were part of a family,” Eyth said of Mercyhurst.

Despite their close friendship, Eyth and Kunst did not commit to Mercyhurst at the same time. They did look at different schools and Kunst committed to the Lakers a few days before Eyth did so.

Kunst also considered Fairmont State, California (Pa.) and Grove City. Eyth was considering Grove City, Wheeling Jesuit and Carnegie Mellon.

“It was the biology program that sold me,” Eyth said. “It is outstanding and academics have to come first.”

A full story appears in Thursday's Butler Eagle.