Thad Matta Retires, Stays with Butler

0:00On March 16, Butler University's men's basketball coach, Thad Mata, announced his retirement from the sidelines this morning. He will stay on with the school, as special assistant to the president and athletic director. A national search for his replacement is already underway. Mata wraps up a stellar career with a 502 win, 223 loss overall record. He claimed eight conference regular season titles across Butler, Xavier and Ohio State. His teams made the NCAA tournament 13 times, reached two final fours and played in one national championship game. Athletic director Grant Landecker called the news bittersweet, praising Mata's lifelong impact on the program from player to coach. President Jim Danko highlighted his hall of fame legacy and family dedication since the 1980s. Both expressed excitement about keeping Mata involved for stability. Having two head coaching stents at Butler, Mata posted an 87 wins 77 loss mark.

1:00His first run included a school record 24 wins and an NCAA birth. The recent four year term earned spots in the NIT and college basketball crown. With a deep candidate pool expected, Butler looks ahead to competing at the top of the biggest and nationally, bolstered by Mata's ongoing support.