Updated March 18, 2026, 12:11 p.m. ET
- Butler basketball coach Thad Matta has retired, leaving this system to hunt a alternative.
- Athletic director Grant Leiendecker acknowledged {that a} new coach doesn’t essentially have to have ties to Butler.
- Former Butler participant Ronald Nored is taken into account the favourite to turn out to be the following coach.
Thad Matta’s retirement as Butler basketball coach leaves athletic director Grant Leiendecker with choices to reset the program.
The Bulldogs have been accustomed to “The Butler Way,” and like to have coaches with ties to that. But Leiendecker advised IndyStar final month that he would not should have a coach with Butler ties.
“It’s important, but it’s not the biggest factor,” Leiendecker mentioned final month of getting a coach with ties to Butler. “I think we are unique here. We are unique in the way we built it here. No matter what league we’ve been in, we’ve never been the school with the most resources, winning with the most talent. We have to win with our people, our culture, and yes, very talented players, but it’s always going to be that we win because the whole is greater than the sum of our parts.
“Winning that manner is tougher than it was since you’re rebuilding a crew yearly. That does not imply we will not do it. We’re going to it.”
Among those who may be candidates include Leiendecker’s former teammate, Ronald Nored, who came in as the favorite per odds released by BetOnline.ag on Wednesday. There are also some familiar names, including Matta’s assistant, Jon Diebler, Indiana State coach Matthew Graves and Illinois State coach Ryan Pedon.
The name that truly jumps out, though, is Dawgs March Madness hero Gordon Hayward. The Brownsburg native led Butler to its first of the two back-to-back Final Four runs, and Hayward’s halfcourt shots missed off the backboard and front of the rim that nearly topped Duke for the 2010 national championship in Indianapolis.
Oddsmakers firmly believe that someone with Butler ties is going to get the job. Other names include assistant coach Mike Peguesand Terry Johnson, who is on Matt Painter’s staff at Purdue.
UConn assistant coach Luke Murray and Merrimack coach Joe Gallo are among the longer shots to get the job. Surprisingly, one coach with strong Butler ties to Brad Stevens’ staff was not on the list: Notre Dame’s Micah Shrewsberry.
Here are the chances:
This story was up to date to make clear Pegues’ connection.
