Butler University Appoints Ronald Nored as Head Coach

Butler University announced on Wednesday the hiring of Ronald Nored, a former Bulldogs player, as the new head coach, taking over from Thad Matta.

Nored, a 2012 Butler graduate, played under Brad Stevens and contributed to the Bulldogs' back-to-back NCAA national championship game appearances in 2010 and 2011.

Expressing his excitement, Nored stated, "The term 'dream job' doesn't do justice to how I feel about the opportunity to lead the Butler program. Butler is an incredibly special place. As a player, I poured blood, sweat and tears into this program. No one appreciates both the responsibility and the potential that comes with this position more than me."

Throughout his coaching career, Nored has gained experience at various levels, including college basketball, the G League, and the NBA. He spent the last three years as part of the Atlanta Hawks coaching staff, and has also held assistant coaching positions with the Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets, and Boston Celtics.

Butler's athletic director, Grant Leiendecker, praised Nored's work ethic and basketball intelligence, stating, "Ron is a relentless worker with an elite basketball IQ and a proven track record of developing talent at the highest level. 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."

Nored takes the helm after Matta's retirement last week, although Matta will remain with the university as a special assistant to both the president and athletic director.

Last season, Butler finished with a 16-16 record, placing seventh in the Big East, and has not reached the NCAA tournament in the past four years, last participating in 2018.

During his four-year playing career, Nored led Butler to three NCAA Tournament appearances and recorded 109 wins. He holds the record for most games played (143) and postseason games played (16) in Bulldogs history and was a two-time Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year.

Looking to the future, Nored expressed his ambition to elevate the program, saying, "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."