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Home > SECWB News & More! > General News > Florida Hires Former Gator Amanda Butler
Florida Hires Former Gator Amanda Butler
by LeAnne Harrington, SECWB.com
Posted: April 13th, 2007 @ 2:34pm
Amanda Butler (Photo Credit: GatorZone.com) |
The longest running coaching vacancy in SEC women’s basketball has finally been filled: former Gator player and current UNC-Charlotte head coach Amanda Butler is expected to be introduced as the new head coach at the University of Florida in a press conference on Tuesday, April 17. With the announcement on February 12 that Carolyn Peck would not be returning after the end of the season, Florida was the first major coaching vacancy in a spring season that has been noted as one of the most turbulent the coaching ranks has ever seen. After 9 weeks and rumored high-profile rebuffs by the Joannes (McCallie and Boyle) it looks like the Gators have finally landed their woman. The Gators reportedly hired Butler, a 1995 U of F grad, late last night (Thursday), UNC-Charlotte associate sports information director Brent Stastny confirmed this morning. Butler was to meet with her UNC-Charlotte team this morning to inform them of her departure, and it is expected that the University of Florida will make an official announcement sometime this afternoon.
The 35 year old Butler is making a huge leap into the top women’s basketball conference in the nation, having only been a head coach for 2 years. Butler took over the head coaching position at UNC-Charlotte in April 2005 when Katie Meier left for the University of Miami. Butler had been an assistant at UNC-C under Meier for 4 years, where she also served as lead recruiter. In her 2 seasons at the helm, she has guided UNC-Charlotte to a 40-22 record and post season play in the WNIT, where the 49ers were defeated in the second round both years. Butler was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year for the 2005-2006 season after setting a new school record for most wins by a coach in their first season with 21.
Prior to her six seasons spent at UNC-Charlotte, Butler was an assistant coach at Austin Peay State University from 1997 to 2001. Butler served as lead recruiter at APSU and was responsible for signing back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference Freshmen of the Year, in addition to coaching the school’s all time leading scorer Brooke Armisted who went on to become APSU’s only player in the WNBA. In addition to her recruiting duties, Butler worked with the guards, oversaw strength and conditioning, ran their camps and worked with the booster club.
Prior to APSU, Butler spent two years as a Florida assistant under coach Carol Ross. She worked with the perimeter players, was responsible for scheduling, strength and conditioning, and also ran camps and clinics. Butler was a popular player while at Florida, and was noted for her hard-nosed defense. Often pitted against guards who out-sized her, Butler was a tough-as-nails defender who could scrap with the best of them. She is second all-time in assists at Florida and ranks in the top five in several other categories. Butler served as a team captain and was also a 3-time All-SEC Academic selection. While Butler was captain, her Gator team made their first ever appearance in the NCAA tournament. She graduated in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and in 1997 she earned a master's of science in sports management.
It was during Butler’s time as a player and as an assistant that Florida enjoyed their greatest successes. During her four years as a player, the Gators tallied 73 wins, which remains the best 4 year mark in the history of the women’s program at Florida. While Butler was an assistant, Florida received bids to the NCAA tournament both years, advancing to the Elite Eight in 1997.
It is obvious that this young coach has the energy that will be required to take this Florida program and rebuild it to it’s past glory and hopefully beyond. Butler has made a name for herself with her recruiting prowess, and this is a point that was of special note to Athletic Director Jeremy Foley. Butler is already being compared to the young Billy Donovan when he arrived at Florida in 1996. If Butler achieves even half of Donovan’s successes, then Foley will look like the smartest AD in America. We wish Amanda Butler all the best in her return to her alma mater and hope she continues to add to her short but impressive coaching resume by rebuilding Florida into an SEC and NCAA contender.
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