Butler’s Thad Matta is retiring from coaching, the school announced on Monday. He will remain with the university as Special Assistant to the President and Athletic Director.
“After taking some time to reflect following the end of the season, I have decided that the time has come for me to step away from the sidelines,” Matta said in a statement. “The love my wife, my daughters and I have for Butler is what brought us back four years ago, and it feels especially meaningful that I conclude my coaching career here. Butler has always meant more to us than just basketball—and that connection is why I’m grateful to continue working with the University and offering my help in any way I can. My commitment to Butler and to the future of this program remains as strong as ever. I want this program to compete at the highest levels of the BIG EAST and national landscape, and I am excited to be part of what we continue to build here.”
“It is hard to fully capture in words what the Matta family has meant to Butler University and to our men’s basketball program,” added Vice President and Athletic Director Grant Leiendecker. “As a student-athlete, two assistant coaching tenures and then twice as head coach at Butler, Thad has given so much to our university and his impact on our student-athletes has been life changing. Today is bittersweet in that Thad will no longer be leading our program on the sidelines but we are grateful that he has accepted President (Jim) Danko and my offer to remain at Butler University to continue to elevate the institution, as his wisdom and experience are invaluable and will help maintain stability in our program.”
Over his 21 years as a head coach, Matta accumulated a 502-223 overall record and made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances. He spent five total seasons with Butler (2000-01; 2022-26), three with Xavier (2001-04) and 13 with Ohio State (2004-17). During that run, he won a combined eight conference regular-season championships.
At Ohio State, Matta reached the Final Four twice and went all the way to the national championship game in 2007. He was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2006, 2007 and 2010.
After briefly stepping away from coaching in 2017 due to health issues, Matta was inspired to return five years later because of the opportunity at Butler. The school has always had a special place in his heart. He played three seasons for the Bulldogs in the late 1980s, then served as an assistant under Barry Collier from 1991-94 and 1997-2000. Matta also met his wife, Barbara, at Butler, and his two daughters, Ali and Emily, are graduates.
The Bulldogs have gone 63-69 over the past four seasons. They have not earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament since 2018. According to Leiendecker, a national search for a new head coach is already underway.
“We have begun our search for another head coach who aligns with our values, fits with our institution and will lead us to compete among the nation’s elite,” Leiendecker said. “We have such an incredible fan base, a storied tradition, play in an iconic home venue, reside in one of the best basketball states in the nation and compete in a truly elite BIG EAST Conference, and I am confident that we will develop a strong pool of candidates. The future is bright for Butler Basketball and I can’t wait to introduce our new head coach to Bulldog Nation!”
Meet your guide
