Thad Matta
Thad Matta (born July 11, 1967)
Current position: Head men’s basketball coach
Current team: Butler Bulldogs
Current conference: Big East Conference
Xavier record: 78-23 (.772)
Ohio State record: 337-123 (.733)
Butler record: 56-41 (.577)
Overall record: 471-187 (.716)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0 (Runner-up in 2007)
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 13 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
- NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen: 6 (2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
- NCAA Tournament Final Four: 2 (2007, 2012)
- NIT Championships: 1 (2008)
- NIT Appearances: 3 (2008, 2016, 2024)
- Big East Regular Season Champion: 0
- Big Ten Regular Season Champion: 5 (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012)
- Atlantic 10 Regular Season Champion: 2 (2002, 2003)
- MCC Regular Season Champion: 1 (2001)
- Big East Tournament Champion: 0
- Big Ten Tournament Champion: 4 (2007, 2010, 2011, 2012)
- Atlantic 10 Tournament Champion: 2 (2002, 2004)
- MCC Tournament Champion: 1 (2001)
Awards:
- Big Ten Coach of the Year: 3 (2006, 2007, 2010)
- Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year: 1 (2002)
- MCC Coach of the Year: 1 (2001)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 2022-present | Butler |
| 2021-2022 | Indiana (assoc. AD) |
| 2004-2017 | Ohio State |
| 2001-2004 | Xavier |
| 2000-2001 | Butler |
| 1997-2000 | Butler (asst) |
| 1996-1997 | Miami (OH) (asst) |
| 1995-1996 | Western Carolina (asst) |
| 1994-1995 | Miami (OH) (asst) |
| 1991-1994 | Butler (asst) |
| 1990-1991 | Indiana State (asst) |
Thad Matta Facts
- Thad Michael Matta
- Born July 11, 1967
- Hometown: Hoopeston, Illinois
- Alma Mater: Butler University (BS, 1990)
- Attended Southern Illinois for one year after a stellar prep career at Hoopeston-East Lynn High School
- Played three seasons for the Butler Bulldogs under head coaches Joe Sexson and Barry Collier
- Named Butler team captain as a senior in 1989-1990 and was a two-year starter
- First coaching jobs were as an assistant at Indiana State (under Tates Locke) and Butler (under Collier)
- Also worked for one season for Phil Hopkins at Western Carolina
- Served twice as an assistant at Miami (OH), first under Herb Sendek (1994-95), then Charlie Coles (1996-97) before returning to Collier‘s staff at Butler in 1997
- Promoted to Butler head coach in 2000, staying for one season before becoming the Xavier head coach in 2001
- Led the Bulldogs to a MCC title and MCC Tournament championship in his lone season at the helm
- In three seasons coaching the Musketeers, went to three NCAA Tournaments (including the Elite Eight in 2004), won two A-10 Regular Season titles and two A-10 Tournaments
- Arrived at OSU in 2004, winning 337 games in 13 years and going to two Final Fours, including a 2007 NCAA Runner-up finish
- Won 20+ games in all but one season (his last) and had three seasons in which the Buckeyes won 30+ games
- Reached the NCAA Tournament nine times and the NIT twice (including winning the 2008 NIT), only missing the postseason one time (his final season) in which the Buckeyes were eligible (they were not eligible in 2000)
- Resigned from his position in June 2017, citing nagging health concerns in his back and foot
- In March 2021, Matta returned to the college basketball ranks as Associate Athletic Director for Basketball Administration at Indiana
- In April 2022, Matta was announced as the new head coach at Butler – his second stint leading his alma mater
Thad Matta Coaching Tree
- Darnell Archey (Mobile)
- Jeff Boals (Ohio, Stony Brook)
- Dave Dickerson (USC Upstate)
- Jake Diebler (Ohio State)
- Matthew Graves (South Alabama)
- John Groce (Akron, Illinois, Ohio)
- Chris Jent (Bakersfield Jam)
- LaVall Jordan (Butler, Milwaukee)
- Kevin Kuwik (Army)
- Alan Major (Charlotte)
- Archie Miller (Rhode Island, Indiana, Dayton)
- Brandon Miller (Butler)
- Sean Miller (Arizona, Xavier)
- Mark Mitchell (Wilberforce)
- Greg Paulus (Niagara)
- Travis Steele (Miami OH, Xavier)
- Brad Stevens (Boston Celtics, Butler)