Thad Matta is back in coaching – and back at Butler.
The Bulldogs announced Sunday that they would be hiring Matta as their next head coach.
Matta, who spent the last year as Indiana’s assistant athletic director, replaces LaVall Jordan, who was fired Friday after five seasons as Butler’s head coach.
“The success Thad has achieved on each of his programs speaks for itself,” said athletic director Barry Collier. “He is a championship-level coach and recruiter who brings valuable experience and infectious energy to Butler. I’ve personally seen that with Thad as a player, assistant coach and head coach. The Matta family — Thad, Barb, Ali and Emily — have a deep appreciation for Butler and I know they will join the whole Butler community as we look forward to what’s to come.”
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Matta, 54, has not coached in college since 2017, when he stepped down as Ohio State head coach. After two downtimes in Columbus, the two sides agreed to part ways that summer, although Matta made it clear in his farewell press conference that he wasn’t the one who initiated the conversation. He struggled with health issues for several years, including back surgery in 2007 and treatment for nerve damage in one of his feet resulting from the surgery.
Since then, Matta has been linked to several key job offers, including last spring in Indiana. He showed minimal interest in everyone. On his return to Butler, he even had to be persuaded. Sources told ESPN that agents had sounded out Matta’s interest back in February, and there didn’t seem to be much momentum on Matta’s side. Industry sources indicated that a return would be more likely on the administrative side. But things started to change on Friday, and Matta’s hire was officially announced about 48 hours after Jordan’s departure.
“Butler is a special place, one that Barb, Ali, Emily and I have each chosen as our school,” Matta said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to return to Butler and lead our men’s basketball program. There is a solid foundation and I am confident that Butler will continue to be one of the top programs in the Great East. I can’t wait to get started on the work that we have ahead of us and to be back on the sidelines at Hinkle Fieldhouse.”
Matta is now returning to his alma mater, where he spent seven seasons as an assistant and head coach. He achieved tremendous success while at Butler, Xavier and Ohio State, participating in 13 of his first 15 seasons as head coach in the NCAA tournament. In one season with Butler and three seasons with Xavier, he won at least one NCAA tournament game each season — including an Elite Eight heat in 2004.
During his 12 seasons at Ohio State, Matta led the Buckeyes to two Final Four appearances, including an appearance in the 2007 national championship game, where they lost to Florida. In a four-year period from 2010–13, Ohio State advanced on the first weekend of each season’s NCAA tournament, winning 13–4 in the tournament during that period.
Matta’s career record is 439-154 overall, with an Ohio State record of 337-123.