Back to Old Stomping Grounds: LaVall Jordan Returns to Butler Coaching Roots
LaVall Jordan, an assistant for two Big Ten Conference schools a total of nine seasons before guiding Milwaukee last year, returned to his alma mater (Butler) as head coach after commencing his coaching career as an aide with the Bulldogs for three campaigns. Jordan isn't the only coach to make a good first impression before moving on to another school. He joins the following alphabetical list of active head coaches at a school where they previously served as an assistant before hiring as bench boss after toiling elsewhere:
| Active Coach | Current School | Years as Assistant for Same College Before Working Elsewhere |
|---|---|---|
| Bacari Alexander | Detroit | 2001-02 through 2006-07 under Perry Watson |
| Mike Anderson | Arkansas | 1985-86 through 2001-02 under Nolan Richardson |
| Chris Beard | Texas Tech | 2001-02 through 2010-11 under Bob Knight and Pat Knight |
| Glenn Braica | St. Francis (N.Y.) | 1989-90 through 2003-04 under Ron Ganulin |
| Mike Brennan | American University | 2007-08 and 2008-09 under Jeff Jones |
| Tim Craft | Gardner-Webb | 2003-04 through 2006-07 under Rick Scruggs |
| Mick Cronin | Cincinnati | 1996-97 through 2000-01 under Bob Huggins |
| Nathan Davis | Bucknell | 2003-04 through 2007-08 under Pat Flannery |
| Steve Donahue | Penn | 1990-91 through 1999-00 under Fran Dunphy |
| Mike Dunlap | Loyola Marymount | 1980-81 through 1984-85 under Ed Goorjian |
| Jim Engles | Columbia | 2003-04 through 2007-08 under Joe Jones |
| Bill Evans | Idaho State | 1984-85 under Wayne Ballard |
| Tim Floyd | Texas-El Paso | 1977-78 through 1985-86 under Don Haskins |
| Dana Ford | Tennessee State | 2009-10 and 2010-11 under John Cooper |
| John Gallagher | Hartford | 2006-07 and 2007-08 under Dan Leibovitz |
| Eran Ganot | Hawaii | 2006-07 through 2009-10 under Riley Wallace and Bob Nash |
| Bob Huggins | West Virginia | 1977-78 under Joedy Gardner |
| George Ivory | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | 2002-03 through 2005-06 under Van Holt |
| James Jones | Yale | 1995-96 and 1996-97 under Dick Kuchen |
| LaVall Jordan | Butler | 2004-05 through 2006-07 under Todd Lickliter |
| Billy Kennedy | Texas A&M | 1990-91 under Kermit Davis Jr. |
| Greg Lansing | Indiana State | 1995-96 through 1998-99 under Sherman Dillard and Royce Waltman |
| Mike Martin | Brown | 2005-06 under Glen Miller |
| Steve Masiello | Manhattan | 2001-02 through 2004-05 under Bobby Gonzalez |
| Bob McKillop | Davidson | 1978-79 under Eddie Biedenbach |
| Marvin Menzies | UNLV | 2004-05 under Lon Kruger |
| Barret Peery | Portland State | 2002-03 under Heath Schroyer |
| Mike Rhoades | Virginia Commonwealth | 2009-10 through 2013-14 under Shaka Smart |
| Keith Richard | Louisiana-Monroe | 1984-85, 1985-86 and 1989-90 through 1993-94 under Mike Vining |
| Kareem Richardson | UMKC | 2007-08 under Matt Brown |
| Louis Rowe | James Madison | 2007-08 through 2011-12 under Dean Keener and Matt Brady |
| Bill Self | Kansas | 1985-86 under Larry Brown |
| Dave Simmons | McNeese State | 1987-88 through 1993-94 under Steve Welch |
| Marty Simmons | Evansville | 1997-98 through 2001-02 under Jim Crews |
| Roy Williams | North Carolina | 1978-79 through 1987-88 under Dean Smith |
| Billy Wright | Western Illinois | 2008-09 through 2012-13 under Jim Molinari |
| Jay Wright | Villanova | 1987-88 through 1991-92 under Rollie Massimino |
NOTES: Alexander, Cronin, Dunlap, Huggins, Jordan, Martin, Richard, Rowe, M. Simmons and Williams graduated from the school where they are currently coaching. . . . Lansing returned to Indiana State as an assistant for four seasons until he was promoted in 2010-11.