LaVall Jordan named Butler head coach

#GoDawgs Welcome home, @LaVall_Jordan pic.twitter.com/0Q1cz9q9KF

— Butler Basketball (@ButlerMBB) 13 giugno 2017

LaVall Jordan, who helped Butler to conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances as both a player and an assistant coach, returns to his alma mater as the 24th head coach in men's basketball program history. Butler Vice President and Director of Athletics Barry Collier made the announcement Monday, June 12.

"LaVall is a tremendous coach who exemplifies The Butler Way," said 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."

Jordan's coaching career began on the Butler sidelines (2003-07), working as an assistant coach for three seasons (2004-07) and as the coordinator of basketball operations for one season (2003-04).
 
Jordan helped guide the Bulldogs to a 29-7 record in 2006-07, sharing the Horizon League regular season title in 2007. Butler advanced to the Sweet 16 in the 2007 NCAA Tournament before a loss to eventual national champion, Florida.

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."

Jordan returns to the Butler campus after serving one season as the head coach at Milwaukee. In his first head coaching position, Jordan led the Panthers to the Horizon League Tournament championship game. Milwaukee entered the postseason as the tournament's No. 10 seed before making a miraculous run through the bracket. Jordan, who inherited only four returning scholarship players when he took over the Panthers' program in April of 2016, finished 11-24 on the season.