Who was Terrence Butler? Tributes pour in as Drexel University Basketball player found dead in campus apartment

Drexel University announced Wednesday that men's basketball player Terrence Butler passed away inside an on-campus apartment. Butler was an incoming junior for the Dragons and was an undergraduate student in the College of Engineering.

The cause of Butler's death remains undisclosed, and he's survived by his parents Terrence Sr. and Dena Butler, and sisters Tasia and Tiara. The 6-foot-6 swingman's playing time was limited due to injuries but was an honor student in his first two years at the university.

"On behalf of the entire Drexel community, we extend our deepest sympathy to Terrence's family, friends, and teammates," university president John Fry said in a statement.

"In addition to being a student-athlete, Terrence was involved in numerous activities and organizations at Drexel and was a friend to many throughout the University community."

Tributes for Terrence Butler poured once the news of his death spread. Mark Witalec, an employee at Drexel, told ABC Philadelphia that Butler was a popular student on campus.

"Beautiful guy had a nice family," Witalec said. "Everybody knew him, everybody on campus knew who he was, and he would treat everybody just the same. You know what I mean, good guy, family-oriented."

Another member of the Drexel community, Marvin Saunders, called Butler a "good kid" and he'll be missed by everyone who knows him.

"He was a good kid," Saunders said. "He came in every day for breakfast. Positive attitude, always upbeat, definitely going to be missed."

Terrence Butler was a native of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and was a basketball star at Bishop McNamara High School. His alma mater also released a statement following the news of his untimely death:

"Our coaching staff and school community express our sincere condolences to the Butler family, Class of '21. Please keep the entire Butler family in your prayers."

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Terrence Butler's basketball career

Terrence Butler was a standout player from the DMV area, averaging 17.8 points and 7.0 rebounds at Bishop McNamara. He was a McDonald's All-American nominee in 2019 when he was named MVP by his high school.

Butler then committed to Drexel for the 2020-21 season but was limited to just eight games in his first two years due to injuries. He played in seven games last season, bagging four points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals.

The university also announced that its counseling center is open to all students affected by Butler's unfortunate death. Students can also call the numbers 215-895-1415 and 215-416-3337 or send an email to [email protected].