Butler men’s basketball hires Indiana’s Thad Matta as head coach

Thad Matta, Indiana’s associate Athletic Director for Men’s Basketball Administration, has been hired by Butler as the Bulldogs’ new head men’s basketball coach.

“Butler is a special place, one that Barb, Ali, Emily and I each chose as our school,” Matta said in a press release. “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 coached at Butler first as an assistant from 1991-94 before returning in 1997. He remained in that second stint before he was named the Bulldogs’ head coach in 2000. Since then, he’s had head coaching stops at Xavier and Ohio State.

Matta stepped down from coaching in 2017. Indiana brought him on board in an administrative role when the Hoosiers hired Mike Woodson as head coach last March.