Butler has hired former Bulldogs player Ronald Nored to succeed Thad Matta as head coach, the school announced Wednesday.
Nored is a 2012 graduate of Butler, who played under then head coach Brad Stevens, helping the Bulldogs to back-to-back appearances in the NCAA national championship game in 2010 and 2011.
Nored has worked his way through the assistant coaching ranks with stints in college basketball, the G League and NBA, most recently serving on the staff of the Atlanta Hawks over the past three years. Prior to that, he spent time as an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets and Boston Celtics.
Nored replaces Matta, who retired from coaching last week but is remaining with the school as special assistant to the president and athletic director.
Butler, which finished 16-16 overall and seventh in the Big East this season, failed to reach the NCAA tournament during the last four years under Matta’s leadership and last played in the big dance in 2018.
In addition to the two NCAA national championship game appearances, Nored helped lead Butler to a third NCAA Tournament appearance and 109 wins during his four-year playing career. He’s the Bulldogs’ career leader in games played (143) and postseason games played (16) and was twice named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year.
“Passionate fans, Hinkle Fieldhouse, the BIG EAST, storied tradition, a world-class education, a thriving city… there is incredible momentum at Butler right now and I can’t wait to hit the ground running as we elevate Butler to new heights,” Nored said.
“Ron is a relentless worker with an elite basketball IQ and a proven track record of developing talent at the highest level of basketball. He is the ultimate competitor, and he will cultivate that same quality within his team and staff,” athletic director Grant Leiendecker said in a statement. “While he understands the soul of this university, we didn’t hire him for his history here — we hired him for his vision of what we can become and how we will get there. I have total confidence that Ron will put his own fingerprints on this program, set a new standard for our student-athletes, and elevate Butler Basketball to new heights.”
Nored is hoping to bring the program to “new heights.”