LaVall Jordan has been named the new head coach at Butler, the school announced Monday night. He will be introduced during a press conference on Wednesday.
ZAGSBLOG reported earlier Monday that Jordan would be named the next coach.
The deal is for six years, a source close to the situation told ZAGSBLOG.
“LaVall is a tremendous coach who exemplifies The Butler Way,” said AD Barry Collier, who as the team’s head coach first recruited Jordan to Butler in 1997. “He has played a major role in successful programs that have competed at the highest levels. LaVall also has a deep appreciation for our university and this program, and will recruit and develop young men who will represent Butler well. We are thrilled to welcome LaVall, Destinee, and their three beautiful daughters back to Butler.”
A former Butler assistant, Jordan, 38, had been the head coach of Milwaukee of the Horizon League. He will become Butler’s fourth coach in six seasons and will succeed Chris Holtmann, who agreed to an eight-year, $24-million deal at Ohio State.
Jordan went 11-24 in his first season as head coach at Milwaukee and took the No. 10-seeded Panthers to the Horizon League tournament championship game.
Before embarking on his coaching career, Jordan was a starting guard at Butler (1998-2001), helping the Bulldogs win three conference tournament titles and two Midwestern Collegiate Conference regular-season championships. He participated in four consecutive postseason tournaments — NCAA (1998, 2000, 2001) and NIT (1999) — and helped record Butler’s first NCAA tournament win in 39 years with a 79-63 win over Wake Forest in 2001.
Jordan was a two-time All-Midwestern Collegiate Conference performer and was the league’s tournament MVP in 2001. He tallied 91 victories in four years, which (at the time) made him the winningest player in Butler history.
“This is a dream come true,” said Jordan. “Butler is a place that means so much to me and my family, and I am honored and humbled to lead this storied program. I want to thank President Danko and Barry Collier for the faith they have placed in me to continue The Butler Way and our great success.”
Butler has a six-man recruiting class for 2017 highlighted by Massillon (OH) Jackson small forward Kyle Young, ranked No. 86 on the 2017 ESPN 100.
Aaron Thompson, the point guard who committed in May, intends to “remain at Butler,” his father, Tony, told ZAGSBLOG.
“We will probably speak to Coach Jordan,” Tony Thompson said.
Cooper Neese and Jerald Butler have also reaffirmed their commitments, per the Indianapolis Star, while Kyle Young and Christian David have yet to announce their intentions.
The summer recruiting period begins July 12.
