Thad Matta retires at Butler following a career that included 13 NCAA Tournaments

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Longtime college basketball coach Thad Matta announced Monday he is retiring after a career that included 13 NCAA Tournaments and a national title game appearance with Ohio State.

Matta spent the past four seasons at Butler, his second stint at the helm of his alma mater. The Bulldogs suffered a season-ending 91-81 loss to Providence in the Big East Tournament.

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Matta, 58, will remain on staff as a special counselor to President Jim Danko and athletic director Grant Leiendecker. Butler officials said they have begun searching for his successor.

“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,” he said in a statement. “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. 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.”

Matta finishes his head coaching career with a 502-223 record, winning eight conference regular-season titles at three different stops — Butler, Xavier and Ohio State. He led the Buckeyes to two Final Fours, losing to Florida in the 2007 title game. He is Ohio State’s winningest coach, compiling 337 wins over 13 seasons.

He was named the 2000-01 Midwestern Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year in his first season at Butler. The Bulldogs went 24-8 that season, breaking the school’s single season record for victories and winning the program’s first NCAA Tournament game since 1962.

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Matta went 63-69 in his second tenure with Butler, compiling a 39-55 mark in league play. He couldn’t guide Butler back to the NCAA Tournament in this new era of college sports.

Instead, the Bulldogs settled for playing in the NIT following his only winning season (18-15) in…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/thad-matta-retires-butler-following-172512746.html

Author : MICHAEL MAROT

Publish date : 2026-03-16 17:25:00

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