Butler University Men’s Basketball Coach Thad Matta announced this morning that he is retiring from coaching but will remain with the University as Special Assistant to the President and Athletic Director. A national search for a new head coach is underway.
“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,” said Matta. “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.
“I want to sincerely thank (President) Jim Danko, (Vice President and Athletic Director) Grant Leiendecker, and (former Athletic Director) Barry Collier for their trust, leadership, and friendship. To our players, coaches, and staff, past and present, thank you for everything you’ve poured into this program and for living The Butler Way. To our fans and the countless people who support us, you are what makes this place so special.
“I will always be grateful for the experiences, the relationships, and the memories Butler has given me and my family. I’m proud of what we’ve built together, and I look forward to staying connected and contributing in a new way as the next chapter begins.”
Matta concludes his head coaching career with a 502-223 overall record, winning a combined eight conference regular season championships at Butler, Xavier and Ohio State, advancing to the NCAA Tournament 13 times, and earning two berths in the NCAA Final Four and one appearance in the national championship game. He was named the Midwestern Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year in 2001, his first season as the head coach at Butler. Matta was later named Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year three times while at Ohio State and the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year once while at Xavier.
“It is hard to fully capture in words what the Matta family has meant to Butler University and to our men’s basketball program,” said 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 lifechanging. 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 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.”
During his two head coaching tenures at Butler, he finished with an overall record of 87-77, with an appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2001 after leading the Bulldogs to a then-school record 24 wins and a Midwestern Collegiate Conference championship. In his second stint as the head coach (2022-2026), the Bulldogs earned a bid to the NIT and to the College Basketball Crown postseason competitions.
“Thad has made the thoughtful decision, together with his family, to step away from coaching and begin a new chapter in his remarkable career,” said Danko. “He has built a Hall of Fame–worthy legacy in college basketball and has been a valued member of our campus community since he first arrived at Butler as a student-athlete in the 1980s. Butler has always been a special part of his story, and we are grateful that he chose to return and finish his coaching career where it all began. We extend our deepest thanks to Coach, his wife Barbara, and their daughters Ali and Emily for the dedication, leadership, and sacrifice they have given to Butler. We are thrilled that the Matta family will remain a part of the Butler community for years to come.”
Matta served as a Butler assistant twice prior to being named head coach of the Bulldogs in 2000. A high school basketball standout at Hoopeston-East Lynn in Hoopeston, Ill., Matta was a two-year starter (and three-year letterwinner) for Butler after transferring from Southern Illinois. He earned a B.S. degree (education) from Butler in 1990.
“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,” added Leiendecker. “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!”
https://butlersports.com/news/2026/3/16/butler-mens-basketball-coach-thad-matta-to-retire.aspx
