Before joining Georgia Tech, Tasha Butts was an assistant coach at Louisiana State University (LSU) for eight seasons. Her time at LSU included six NCAA Tournament appearances, with notable achievements including back-to-back Sweet 16 runs in 2012 and 2013. She also played a role in the development of successful players, mentoring six all-SEC academic honor roll recipients and helping seven players achieve all-SEC selections.
Prior to her tenure at LSU, Butts spent three successful seasons (2008-2011) as an assistant coach at UCLA. During her time there, she set records for regular season victories and guided the team to the NCAA Tournament twice. Her coaching efforts led to the development of eight All-Pac-10 academic players, three All-Pac-10 honorees, and two All-Pac-10 freshman team selections. The team achieved a No. 7 national ranking and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2011.
During the 2007-2008 season, Butts served as an assistant coach at Duquesne University, where she had various responsibilities including recruiting, opponent scouting, academics, equipment liaison, scheduling, and player development.
An Award-Winning Coach
Off the court, Butts was selected for various prestigious programs and initiatives within the coaching community. In 2016, she was chosen as one of only 14 assistant coaches nationwide to participate in Advocates for Athletic Equity’s (AAE) annual “Achieving Coaching Excellence” Professional Development Program for basketball coaches. In 2020, she was selected to participate in the Women Coaches NEXT UP program, and in 2021 and 2023, she was included in the Advancement of Blacks in Sports (ABIS) Watchlist. Butts also served as a mentor for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
A Star Player
A native of Milledgeville, Georgia, Butts attended Baldwin High School where she excelled as a basketball player. She was named a consensus All-American and received the prestigious Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year award. Butts still holds the record for the highest career scoring total at her high school, and her jersey number, 23, was retired in her honor. Her achievements were recognized by her hometown when she was presented with a key to the city and a proclamation of achievement on “Tasha Butts Day.”
Butts continued her basketball career at the University of Tennessee under the guidance of legendary Hall of Fame Coach Pat Summitt. During her four years at Tennessee, she contributed to the team’s impressive record of 124-17. The team reached the Sweet 16 in her freshman year and the Final Four in her sophomore season. In the following two years, Butts played a significant role in leading the Lady Vols to back-to-back National Championship games. As a senior, she earned All-SEC Second Team honors, averaging 10.4 points per game and achieving the second-highest three-point field goal percentage in the league (43.0).
Throughout her college career, Butts was part of four SEC regular season championship teams. She left Tennessee as the fourth all-time leader in games played (141) and tied for seventh in three-point shots made (103). In 2004, she graduated from Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management, minoring in Business Administration. She was selected in the 2004 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx and contributed to the team’s success during her rookie season.
After the WNBA season, Butts returned to the University of Tennessee as a graduate assistant coach under Pat Summitt. The team won the 2005 SEC Championship and made it to the Final Four.
Butts also gained international playing experience, competing for teams in Portugal and Israel. She briefly played for the Charlotte Sting and Houston Comets in the WNBA as well.
Tasha Butts leaves behind her parents, Spencer Sr. and Evelyn, her brother Spencer Jr., her nephew Marquis, and a large extended family. Her impact on the women’s basketball community will always be remembered.
As the 2023-24 season approaches, Darnell Haney has been appointed as Georgetown’s interim head coach. Throughout the season, the Hoyas and the BIG EAST Conference will honor Butts’ memory by continuing her Tasha Tough initiative, which raises awareness for early cancer screenings and detection.
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