Butler tabs Brad Stevens as new men's basketball coach
April 5, 2007
Press Conference quotes
Indianapolis, Ind. - Butler Director of Athletics Barry Collier began and ended his search for a new head basketball coach in a familiar place - the Butler basketball office. Assistant coach Brad Stevens has been named Butler's head men's basketball coach, ending a search that lasted less than three days.
Stevens is the third consecutive former Butler assistant coach to be tabbed to lead the Bulldogs, following current Ohio State head coach Thad Matta and Todd Lickliter, who resigned his position three days earlier to become the head coach at the University of Iowa. Stevens worked under each of the two previous Butler coaches.
"We are pleased to announce that Brad Stevens will be Butler's new men's basketball coach," stated Collier, just 48 hours after Lickliter was confirmed as the new Iowa coach. "Brad is a familiar face to the program, having coached under Todd Lickliter and Thad Matta, ...and he embraces the Butler Way. He's a highly intelligent and passionate coach who is extremely well-respected in the coaching ranks. We have the utmost confidence that we will continue to see great success in Butler basketball."
Stevens, 30, recently completed his sixth season as an assistant coach under Lickliter. During his six seasons as an assistant coach with the Bulldogs, Butler compiled a 131-61 record, won three Horizon League regular season championships and made four trips to postseason tournament play. This past season, Butler compiled a school-record 29-7 season and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs were ranked in the Top 25 of both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today national polls for a school and league record 16 consecutive weeks.
Stevens joined the Bulldogs' staff in 2000-01 as coordinator of basketball operations, handling a variety of administrative duties. He was offered a full-time assistant coaching position by Lickliter in 2001-02. He's been active in all phases of the Butler basketball program, including recruiting, game preparation, on-court coaching and skills instruction. He's coached every player currently on Butler's roster.
The new Butler coach left a position as a marketing associate at Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis in June of 2000 to pursue a career in basketball coaching. He served in a volunteer capacity in Butler's basketball office during the summer of 2000, before eventually gaining a full-time administrative position on the Bulldogs' staff under Matta in the fall of 2000.
Prior to joining the Bulldogs' staff, Stevens served as a volunteer basketball coach at Carmel High School, working with coach Pete Smith. He further served as an assistant coach for the 17-year-old Municipal Gardens AAU team, helping the squad to a 12th place finish in the national tournament.
Stevens completed a stellar high school basketball career in 1995 as the all-time basketball scoring leader at Zionsville High School in Indiana. During his prep career, he set team all-time records for three-point field goals and assists. He went on to earn all-conference and academic all-conference honors as a four-year member of the basketball team at DePauw University. He served as a team captain and received the squad's "Coaches Award" in 1998-99.
Stevens earned a B.A. degree in economics from DePauw in 1999. He and his wife, Tracy, have an infant son, Brady.
What They're Saying:
"Brad is incredibly capable and this hire brings great continuity to the program. One of my biggest concerns leaving Butler was who would lead the student-athletes we brought to the program. But I had great confidence in Barry Collier, and he proved me right. I look for bigger and better things in the Butler program under Brad's leadership." --Todd Lickliter, Iowa Head Coach
"Coach Stevens is a great guy, and he'll do well following Coach Lickliter. He's been a part of the program for a long time, and he's contributed to the success. He's a student of the game and he understands how things have been done, which will be a great benefit to the team next year." --Senior captain Brian Ligon
"I'm excited for Butler and for Brad. Seven years ago, he was an eager young coach who would do anything and everything to progress in the profession. His hard work has paid off, and I'm excited for Butler's program." --Thad Matta, Ohio State Head Coach
