Butler Coach Heading to Ohio State

Holtmann was named head coach in 2014.

The head coach of Butler University’s men’s basketball team is leaving Indianapolis. The university has confirmed Chris Holtmann, who has been the head coach of the Bulldogs since 2014, will become the head coach at Ohio State University. 

Ohio State says Holtmann has agreed to an eight-year contract worth about $3 million annually. The university says specific details of the deal are being finalized and will be released at a later date.

Holtmann was named interim head coach in October 2014 after then-head coach Brandon Miller took a medical leave of absence. He was named the permanent head coach in January 2015 and received a contract extension in May 2016.

Barry Collier, director of athletics at Butler, says his team will work "efficiently" to name a successor to Holtmann.

"Chris is a tremendous basketball coach, but more importantly, he is a great man who has led our program well and embodied The Butler Way during his time with us," said Barry Collier, director of athletics at Butler. "Our basketball program is among the nation’s best and Butler University is committed to maintaining our competitive success on a national level, while also recruiting young men who will represent our institution well in the classroom and in the community."

Butler University President James Danko released the following statement to the Butler community:

Chris Holtmann, head coach of the Butler University men’s basketball team, informed Vice President and Director of Athletics Barry Collier and me late Thursday that he had accepted a position at The Ohio State University. Chris has been a tremendous ambassador for Butler over the past several years. Our team has enjoyed great success on the court, in the classroom, and in the community.

Please join me in thanking Chris for his leadership and wishing him, Lori, and Nora continued success as they begin this new endeavor.

While this news will disappoint many within our community, we have great days ahead of us—in academics, athletics, and beyond.

Our men’s basketball program has enjoyed success at the highest levels for several decades, and I am confident that it will continue to do so. Butler University is committed to supporting a program that will continue to be among the best in the BIG EAST and on a national level.

I have great confidence in Barry Collier to identify the next dynamic leader of our program. Butler will hire someone who embodies The Butler Way—someone who will spearhead success on the court, while also leading a program that makes our University proud.

Thank you for your continued support of Butler University. We look forward to introducing you to Butler’s next basketball coach soon.