Butler's Matta retires from coaching with 502 wins

Butler's Thad Matta is retiring from coaching after more than 20 years of leading Division I programs, he announced Monday.

Matta, who will remain with the school as special assistant to the president and athletic director, just finished the fourth season of his second stint as the Bulldogs' head coach.

"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," Matta said in a statement. "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."

Matta finishes his career with a 502-223 record and 13 NCAA tournament appearances.

In between his two stints at Butler, Matta established himself as one of the most consistent head coaches in the country during his time at Xavier and Ohio State. He led the Musketeers to three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances -- including an Elite Eight run in 2004 -- and then guided the Buckeyes to nine NCAA tournaments in 13 seasons.

A three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, Matta won five Big Ten regular-season titles while in charge of the Buckeyes, also winning four Big Ten tournament titles and going to Final Fours in 2007 and 2012.

Matta spent three years of his college playing career at Butler before returning to the Bulldogs as an assistant coach in 1991. After stops on staffs at Miami (Ohio) and Western Carolina, Matta rejoined Butler's staff as an assistant under Barry Collier in 1997. He then took over as head coach for the 2000-01 season when Collier left, spending one season in charge of the Bulldogs while leading them to a 24-8 record and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Matta would return to Butler as the program's head coach in 2022, although the Bulldogs failed to get to the NCAA tournament during his last four years.

"I will always be grateful for the experiences, the relationships, and the memories Butler has given me and my family," Matta said. "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."

After stepping down as Ohio State's head coach in 2017, Matta didn't return to college basketball until 2021-22, when he served as the associate athletic director for basketball administration at Indiana under Mike Woodson.

One season later, Matta returned to Butler in 2022.

"It is hard to fully capture in words what the Matta family has meant to Butler University and to our men's basketball program," Butler athletic director Grant Leiendecker said in Monday's statement. "... 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 [Jim] 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."