INDIANAPOLIS — Butler University Men's Basketball Coach Thad Matta is retiring from coaching.
He will remain with the university as Special Assistant to the President and Athletic Director, and Butler has launched a national search for his replacement.
"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. "It feels especially meaningful that I conclude my coaching career here."
Matta wraps up his head coaching career with a 502-223 overall record, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, eight combined conference regular season championships and two Final Four berths. He was named Big Ten Coach of the Year three times at Ohio State, Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year once at Xavier and Midwestern Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year in his first season at Butler in 2001.
His ties to Butler run deep. Matta was a student-athlete there in the 1980s, served as an assistant coach twice and was first named head coach in 2000. He returned for a second stint in 2022, leading the Bulldogs to NIT and College Basketball Crown postseason appearances before stepping away.
Vice President and Athletic Director Grant Leiendecker called the announcement bittersweet, noting that Matta's "impact on our student-athletes has been lifechanging," while expressing confidence in what comes next.
"The future is bright for Butler Basketball and I can't wait to introduce our new head coach to Bulldog Nation," Leiendecker said.
