Report: Micah Shrewsberry not finalist for Butler head coach job

Micah Shrewsberry is not a finalist for the Butler head coach job, the South Bend Tribune’s Tom Noie reported. The expectation is he will be back at Notre Dame next season.

Shrewsberry’s name was one that came up as a potential candidate for the Butler vacancy following Thad Matta’s retirement. The Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman said the Notre Dame head coach could have the opportunity to return to the Bulldogs, where he served as an assistant coach under Brad Stevens.

However, that won’t be the case. Shrewsberry is in line to return to Notre Dame in 2026-27 after a rough go this past year.

Notre Dame finished with a 13-18 overall record this past season, Shrewsberry’s third in South Bend after replacing Mike Brey. The Irish especially struggled in ACC play, finishing 4-14 to miss out on the conference tournament as a result of the tiebreaker with Boston College. On the whole, Shrewsberry has a 41-16 overall record at Notre Dame in three years.

But as Butler started its process to replace Matta after his retirement, speculation grew about whether Shrewsberry could return to the program. He was on staff from 2007-11 under Stevens and later joined him with the Boston Celtics from 2013-19. On March 17, Goodman wondered if Shrewsberry could be an option if he decided to leave Notre Dame.

“I think you could see Micah Shrewsberry, who was with Brad (Stevens) on his staff at Butler, could he try to get out of Notre Dame maybe before they get him out of Notre Dame,” Goodman said. “He’s got a huge buyout right now at Notre Dame, but he could go to Butler as well.”

Matta was in his third stint at Butler after previously working as an assistant coach from 1997-2000 and as head coach at his alma mater from 2000-01. From 2022-26, the Bulldogs went 63-69 and did not make the NCAA Tournament. Originally, Butler planned to bring him back for another year, but Matta said he opted to retire after thinking about this past season.

“After taking some time to reflect following the end of the season, I have decided that the time has come for me to step away from the sidelines,” Matta said in a statement. “The love my wife, my daughters and I have for Butler is what brought us back four years ago, and it feels especially meaningful that I conclude my coaching career here.

“Butler has always meant more to us than just basketball—and that connection is why I’m grateful to continue working with the University and offering my help in any way I can. My commitment to Butler and to the future of this program remains as strong as ever. I want this program to compete at the highest levels of the BIG EAST and national landscape, and I am excited to be part of what we continue to build here.”