Bio

Coach Jalen Butler begins his first season as the head coach of the LBW men’s basketball program. Butler brings over a decade of NCAA Division II coaching experience and a strong commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the court.

A native of Augusta, Georgia, Butler played collegiate basketball at LaGrange College, where he earned dual degrees in exercise science and political science with a minor in coaching. During his playing career, he was part of back-to-back USA South Tournament Championship teams and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2014 and 2015. He also received multiple academic honors, including USA South Academic All-Conference and the NABC Honors Court.

Butler began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Armstrong State University, earning a master's degree in professional communication and leadership. He then served as an assistant coach at Georgia Southwestern State University for two years before joining Columbus State University, where he spent six seasons as the head assistant coach. At Columbus State, Butler contributed to two NCAA Tournament appearances, including a 2025 Peach Belt Conference regular-season championship and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional.

Throughout his coaching tenure, Butler has been instrumental in developing 12 All-Conference players, one Player of the Year, one All-American, two Defensive Players of the Year, and two Freshmen of the Year. His teams have made seven conference tournament appearances, including one finals appearance and four semifinal appearances.