Claire Lopez and Emeka Opurum

Butler softball infielder Claire Lopez and men’s basketball forward Emeka Opurum have been selected as the White Eagle Credit Union Athletes of the Week for the week of March 3rd through March 10th, 2025.

Claire Lopez (Softball)

Lopez, a sophomore from Olathe, turned in a strong week at the plate helping No. 14 ranked Butler get off to a 3-1 start to conference play. She finished the week 9-14 (.643) with 10 runs scored, four walks, two RBI and going 6-6 on the basepaths. On the week she held a .722 on-base percentage. Lopez finished Butler's doubleheader split at Hutchinson hitting 5-7 with five stolen bases, scoring five runs. In the final game of the week at Seward, Lopez was 3-3 with three runs scored and two walks. On the season the freshman All-American is hitting .553 with 17 runs scored, 10 stolen bases and eight RBI.

Emeka Opurum (Men’s Basketball)

Opurum, a freshman from Lagos, Nigeria, led Butler to two wins last week. In a win over the fifth ranked Cowley Tigers on Wednesday night in El Dorado, Opurum finished with a massive double-double of 18 points and 19 rebounds, also blocking two shots. He was 8-14 from the field in 33 minutes played. Opurum converted on a layup with 3 seconds remaining in the game plus a foul to help the Grizzlies get the win. In the Grizzlies opening round playoff win over Pratt on Saturday he finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and four blocks. He shot 9-11 from the field pushing Butler on to the quarterfinal round of the Region 6 Tournament.

For more information on White Eagle Credit Union, visit https://whiteeaglecu.com/

To view past Athletes of the Week, click here.