Thad Matta Returning To Sideline to Coach Again at Butler

Thad Matta, the former coach at Ohio State who has spent the last year in Indiana's athletic department, is returning to the sidelines. He was named the head coach at Butler on Sunday. He is a former player and coach at the Indianapolis school.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Butler has a new basketball coach, and it's a familiar name. Thad Matta, who coached the Bulldogs for a year in 2000-01 before enjoying great success at Xavier and Ohio State, was named the school's head coach on Sunday morning, according to a release from the school.

Matta worked at Indiana this past season as an associate athletic director for men's basketball, answering to Indiana athletic diector Scott Dolson. He will be introduced at a press conference on Wednesday at Butler. 

He is replacing LaVall Jordan, who was fired on Friday after five years at Butler. 

"The success that Thad has achieved at every one of his programs speaks for itself," Butler athletic director Barry Collier said in Sunday's news release. "He is a championship-caliber coach and recruiter who brings valuable experience and contagious energy to Butler. I have seen that personally in Thad as a player, assistant coach and head coach. The Matta Family – Thad, Barb, Ali and Emily – has a deep appreciation for Butler and I know they join all of the Butler community in how excited we are for what's to come."

Matta is 439-154 (.740) as a head coach and won 20 or more games 16 times, advancing to the NCAA tournament 13 times. He took Ohio State teams to the Final Four in 2007 and 2012.

His winning percentage is the fourth-highest among active coaches, trailing only Mark Few of Gonzaga (.8360, Kentucky's John Calipari (.770) and Bill Self of Kansas (.768). 

"Butler is a special place, one that Barb, Ali, Emily and I each chose as our school," Matta said in the release announcing his hiring. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to return to Butler and lead our men's basketball program. There is a solid foundation in place and I'm confident that Butler will consistently be among the top programs in the Big East. I can't wait to attack the work we have in front of us and to be back on the sidelines at Hinkle Fieldhouse."

Matta stepped away from the sidelines in the summer of 2017 because of health concerns. Ohio State replaced him with former Butler coach Chris Holtmann. Matta is 54 years old. He played three seasons at Butler as well form 1987-90.

"Thad Matta is an exceptional choice to lead our men's basketball program,'' Butler president James Danko said in the release. "In Thad, Butler is getting a first-class person who has put together one of the strongest résumés in all of college basketball over the past few decades. He is a Bulldog who embodies the excellence and character that we hope all of our graduates aspire to achieve in their respective industries and daily life. Our basketball program is in great hands under Thad's leadership."

Matta, though formally working for Dolson in the athletic department, spent a lot of time with first-year coach Mike Woodson at Indiana this season, helping him get familiar with the college game.

He's the second person to leave the staff this offseason. Assistant coach Dane Fife was not retained by Woodson, and he was replaced as an assistant by Brian Walsh.

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