Butler hires Ryan Pedon as assistant coach

Illinois basketball staffer Ryan Pedon has been hired as an assistant coach at Butler, Bulldogs coach Chris Holtmann said.

Pedon was a special assistant to Illinois coach John Groce for the last two years. Holtmann is a close friend of Groce's and served as an assistant coach under him when Groce was the head coach at Ohio. But the relationship with Pedon's former boss wasn't the reason Holtmann hired him, he said.

Rather, it was because of the recruiting prowess Pedon showed while an assistant at Toledo (2010-13) and Miami of Ohio (2006-10), particularly in Ohio. Pedon was the recruiting coordinator at both schools.

"I think that's always going to be an important border state for us in recruiting," Holtmann said.

Holtmann said all three members of Butler's coaching staff under him next season – including returnees Michael Lewis and Terry Johnson – will have the title of assistant coach. None will be an assistant head coach or associate head coach.

Pedon replaces Emerson Kampen, who has accepted a position as a basketball analyst on the Butler staff, Holtmann said. Kampen was scheduled to be a graduate assistant late season. But the former Butler player was promoted to full-time assistant when Holtmann was named interim coach in October in place of Brandon Miller, who took a medical leave of absence. Holtmann was awarded the job on a permanent basis in January.

Kampen understood he would not be considered for the assistant's position on a permanent basis after the season, but Holtmann raved about his performance.

"He did an outstanding job for us," he said.

Pedon is a 2000 graduate of the College of Wooster. He was a three-year letterwinner for the Scots and twice helped them to the round of 16 of the NCAA Division III tournament. He started his coaching career as an administrative assistant at Miami in 2001 and later was director of basketball operations at Kent State.