Terry Butterfield took over as just the second men’s basketball head coach in Comet history in 2000 and has since transformed the UT Dallas men's program into both a regional and national contender.
During his 23 seasons, Butterfield’s UTD teams have earned 20 straight berths to the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament and have captured four conference crowns, the latest coming in 2019. He boasts a 553-343 (.617) record in 34 career seasons as a collegiate head coach and a 394-216 (.646) mark while at UTD, earning his 500th career coaching win 64-60 victory at Ozarks on Feb. 1, 2020. He is 269-140 (.658) against ASC opponents during his tenure with the Comets, claiming nine regular-season titles during that time
Under Butterfield's direction, the Comets have secured seven berths into the NCAA Division III National Tournament, including three trips to the “Sweet 16” and one memorable appearance in the "Elite 8".
A nine-time ASC Coach of the Year, Butterfield has mentored four All-Americans, seven NABC All-Region players and 35 All-ASC selections in his 22 seasons with the Comets. He has coached four ASC East Division Players of the Year and five ASC East Defensive Players of the Year during his tenure. After the 2019-20 campaign, he was honored as the D3hoops.com South Region Coach of the Year.
- Career Record (1989-2022, 34 seasons) --- 553-343
- UTD Record (2000-23, 23 seasons) --- 394-216 (269-140 ASC)
- ASC Championships: 4 (2005, 2009, 2014, 2019)
- ASC Regular Season Championships: 1 (2014)
- ASC Division Championships: 8 (2004, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2019, 2020)
- ASC Championship Tournament Appearances: 20 (2004-24)
- NCAA D-III Tournament Appearances: 8 (1992*, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2019, 2020) *with Virginia Wesleyan
Butterfield began his career as an assistant for his alma mater, Eckerd College (St. Petersburg, Fla.) in 1982-83. He then served as an assistant at Stetson University (1984-1986), Wittenburg University (1986-1987) and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro (1987-1989).
Butterfield began his head coaching career at Virginia Wesleyan in Norfolk, in 1989. In 11 seasons there, Butterfield's teams were a combined 159-127 and had seven winning seasons. His 1992-93 team won the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) championship with a 19-9 mark and received a bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. He was the ODAC Coach of the Year in 1991-92, when his team improved from 12-14 to 18-9.
A 1979 graduate of Eckerd, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in American Studies and Secondary Education, Butterfield earned his master’s degree in Education from Stetson in 1986.
| Year |
School |
Rec. |
Pct. |
Conf. |
Rec. |
Pct. |
Place |
Postseason |
| 1989-90 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
8-18 |
.308 |
ODAC |
6-10 |
.375 |
6th |
ODAC Quarterfinals |
| 1990-91 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
12-14 |
.462 |
ODAC |
7-9 |
.438 |
t-4th |
ODAC Semifinals |
| 1991-92 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
18-9 |
.667 |
ODAC |
13-5 |
.722 |
2nd |
ODAC Semifinals |
| 1992-93 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
19-9 |
.679 |
ODAC |
12-6 |
.667 |
t-3rd |
ODAC Champion
NCAA First Round |
| 1993-94 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
11-14 |
.440 |
ODAC |
9-9 |
.500 |
5th |
ODAC Quarterfinals |
| 1994-95 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
14-12 |
.538 |
ODAC |
9-9 |
.500 |
6th |
ODAC Quarterfinals |
| 1995-96 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
15-10 |
.600 |
ODAC |
11-7 |
.611 |
t-4th |
ODAC Quarterfinals |
| 1996-97 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
15-10 |
.600 |
ODAC |
12-6 |
.667 |
t-2nd |
ODAC Quarterfinals |
| 1997-98 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
15-11 |
.577 |
ODAC |
9-9 |
.500 |
6th |
ODAC Semifinals |
| 1998-99 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
19-7 |
.731 |
ODAC |
13-5 |
.722 |
3rd |
ODAC Semifinals |
| 1999-00 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
13-13 |
.500 |
ODAC |
10-8 |
.556 |
t4th |
ODAC Semifinals |
| VWU Total |
|
159-127 |
.556 |
|
111-83 |
.572 |
|
11 Seasons |
| 2000-01 |
UT Dallas |
3-21 |
.125 |
ASC-E |
2-16 |
.111 |
8th |
|
| 2001-02 |
UT Dallas |
13-12 |
.520 |
ASC-E |
5-7 |
.417 |
4th |
|
| 2002-03 |
UT Dallas |
7-18 |
.280 |
ASC-E |
3-9 |
.250 |
6th |
|
| 2003-04 |
UT Dallas |
15-11 |
.576 |
ASC-E |
10-4 |
.714 |
t-1st |
ASC Semifinals |
| 2004-05 |
UT Dallas |
15-14 |
.517 |
ASC-E |
10-12 |
.455 |
4th |
ASC Champions
NCAA First Round |
| 2005-06 |
UT Dallas |
11-15 |
.423 |
ASC-E |
11-11 |
.500 |
4th |
ASC Quarterfinals |
| 2006-07 |
UT Dallas |
18-8 |
.692 |
ASC-E |
13-7 |
.650 |
t-2nd |
ASC Quarterfinals |
| 2007-08 |
UT Dallas |
17-9 |
.654 |
ASC-E |
13-7 |
.650 |
t-2nd |
ASC Quarterfinals |
| 2008-09 |
UT Dallas |
26-5 |
.839 |
ASC-E |
16-4 |
.800 |
1st |
ASC Champions
NCAA Quarterfinals (Elite 8) |
| 2009-10 |
UT Dallas |
24-6 |
.800 |
ASC-E |
18-2 |
.900 |
1st |
ASC Finals
NCAA Third Round (Sweet 16) |
| 2010-11 |
UT Dallas |
21-7 |
.750 |
ASC-E |
16-4 |
.800 |
1st |
ASC Semifinals
NCAA First Round |
| 2011-12 |
UT Dallas |
22-5 |
.815 |
ASC-E |
16-4 |
.800 |
1st |
ASC Semifinals |
| 2012-13 |
UT Dallas |
20-7 |
.741 |
ASC-E |
14-5 |
.737 |
1st |
ASC Semifinals |
| 2013-14 |
UT Dallas |
27-4 |
.871 |
ASC |
20-2 |
.909 |
1st |
ASC Champions
ASC Third Round (Sweet 16) |
| 2014-15 |
UT Dallas |
16-10 |
.615 |
ASC |
11-9 |
.550 |
7th |
ASC Quarterfinals |
| 2015-16 |
UT Dallas |
17-9 |
.654 |
ASC-E |
9-6 |
.600 |
2nd |
ASC Quarterfinals |
| 2016-17 |
UT Dallas |
12-15 |
.444 |
ASC-E |
8-8 |
.500 |
t-2nd |
ASC Semifinals |
| 2017-18 |
UT Dallas |
19-8 |
.704 |
ASC-E |
14-4 |
.778 |
2nd |
ASC Semifinals |
| 2018-19 |
UT Dallas |
24-5 |
.828 |
ASC-E |
13-3 |
.813 |
1st |
ASC Champions
NCAA First Round |
| 2019-20 |
UT Dallas |
22-7 |
.759 |
ASC-E |
14-2 |
.876 |
1st |
ASC Semifinals
NCAA Second Round |
| 2020-21 |
UT Dallas |
9-5 |
.643 |
ASC-E |
7-4 |
.636 |
3rd |
ASC Quarterfinals |
| 2021-22 |
UT Dallas |
16-9 |
.640 |
ASC |
11-7 |
.611 |
4th |
ASC Semifinals |
| 2022-23 |
UT Dallas |
20-6 |
.769 |
ASC |
15-3 |
.833 |
2nd |
ASC Semifinals |
| UTD Total |
|
394-216 |
.646 |
|
269-140 |
.658 |
|
23 Seasons |
| TOTAL |
|
553-343 |
.617 |
|
|
|
|
34 Seasons |
