Frank Rondel
Butler men’s basketball head coach Thad Matta announced Monday that he is retiring from coaching after more than two decades leading Division I college basketball programs, reports customreceipt.com via ESPN.
Matta confirmed that although he is stepping away from the sidelines, he will continue to work at Butler University in a new capacity as special assistant to the president and the athletic director. The veteran coach recently completed the fourth season of his second tenure as head coach of the Butler Bulldogs.
In a statement released Monday, Matta said he reached the decision after reflecting following the conclusion of the season. He noted that his family’s long-standing connection to Butler played a key role in his return to the program several years ago and made the decision to conclude his coaching career at the university particularly meaningful. Matta also said Butler has always represented more than just basketball for him and his family, adding that he looks forward to continuing to support the institution in a different role while remaining involved with the future development of the program.
Across his coaching career, Matta compiled a 502–223 overall record and guided his teams to 13 NCAA tournament appearances. His time at Butler spanned two separate periods. In total, he finished with an 87–77 record while leading the Bulldogs. During his first tenure, he directed Butler to the 2001 NCAA tournament after the team posted what was then a school-record 24 wins.
Between his two stints at Butler, Matta built a reputation as one of the most consistent head coaches in college basketball while leading programs at Xavier and Ohio State. At Xavier, he guided the Musketeers to three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, including a run to the Elite Eight in 2004.
Matta later took over at Ohio State, where he coached the Buckeyes for 13 seasons and led the program to nine NCAA tournament appearances. During that period he earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors three times and captured five Big Ten regular-season championships. Under his leadership, Ohio State also won four Big Ten tournament titles and advanced to the Final Four twice, in 2007 and 2012.
Matta’s connection with Butler dates back to his college playing career, when he spent three seasons with the program before returning in 1991 as an assistant coach. After coaching stops on the staffs at Miami (Ohio) and Western Carolina, he rejoined Butler’s coaching staff in 1997 as an assistant under Barry Collier. When Collier departed the program, Matta was promoted to head coach for the 2000–01 season. In that lone season leading the Bulldogs during his first stint, Butler finished with a 24–8 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
More than two decades later, Matta returned to Butler to lead the program again in 2022. During his second tenure, the Bulldogs did not reach the NCAA tournament across four seasons.
Following his departure from Ohio State in 2017, Matta stepped away from coaching for several years before returning to college basketball in the 2021–22 season. At that time, he served as associate athletic director for basketball administration at Indiana University under head coach Mike Woodson. One season later, Butler hired him again as head coach of the men’s basketball program.
Butler athletic director Grant Leiendecker said the impact of Matta and his family on the university and its basketball program has been significant. He noted that Matta’s influence on student-athletes has been profound and that the university is grateful he accepted the invitation from Butler president Jim Danko and the athletic department to remain at the institution in a leadership advisory role, where his experience and knowledge will continue to support the stability and development of the program.
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