After six years as the head coach for Clemson women’s basketball, Amanda Butler is joining the Louisville Cardinals as an assistant coach on Jeff Walz’s staff, the program announced Tuesday.
Butler will fill one of the two positions added to men’s and women’s basketball staffs last summer, following a January 2023 vote by the NCAA Division I Council. The other additional position on Walz’s staff remains vacant.
“Amanda Butler is a phenomenal coach and an exceptional leader,” Walz said in a statement. “Her commitment to excellence and her ability to connect with players on and off the court make her a perfect fit for our program. We are beyond excited to welcome her to Louisville.”
Butler, who was fired by Clemson in March, joins a U of L staff that includes longtime Cardinals assistant Stephanie Norman, Jonneshia “JP” Pineda and Shay Robinson.
Butler had an 81-106 record, one NCAA Tournament appearance and two WNIT showings leading the Tigers. The squad went 12-19, finished 12th in the ACC and had a first-round exit in the conference tournament this past season before she was fired. An 81-64 decision to the Cardinals on Jan. 18 in Clemson, South Carolina, was among the losses. Meanwhile, Louisville is coming off a season where it went 24-10, made the second round of the ACC Tournament and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Butler’s head coaching resume also includes a decade at Florida (2007-17) and two seasons at Charlotte (2005-07). Between the two schools, her teams played in the WNIT eight times with five NCAA Tournament appearances.
As the Clemson head coach, Butler received a commitment from five-star guard Imari Berry. The two will be together after all: Berry decommitted from Clemson after Butler’s firing and signed with U of L. Berry is part of a recruiting class that ranks sixth nationally, according to ESPN.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to join the Louisville Cardinals,” Butler said in a statement. “This is a prestigious program with a rich history and a passionate fan base. I look forward to working with coach Walz and the talented student-athletes to achieve our goals and bring home championships.”
Reach Louisville football, women’s basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.