Bio

Brandon native and former Mississippi State University basketball player Isaiah Butler is in his third year as East Mississippi Community College’s head women’s basketball coach.

During his first two seasons at EMCC, Butler has sent five players to the university level. After Sadie Williams (Miss. Valley State) and DJ Williams (Stillman) advanced to the four-year ranks from the Lady Lions’ 2022-23 postseason tournament team, All-MACCC guard Kylah Bell (Mississippi College), Ramya King (Belhaven) and Nakeria Scales (Virginia Union) moved to the next level from last year’s EMCC squad.

In the classroom, Butler’s first two Lady Lion teams have earned NJCAA All-Academic Team recognition, including last year’s program-best 3.55 collective team grade point average that ranked 12^th nationally and featured four NJCAA All-Academic student-athletes for the third consecutive season. The EMCC women also had three players with 4.0 GPAs for the second straight year.

Butler succeeded current EMCC Director of Athletics Sharon Thompson, who retired from her women’s coaching position following the 2021-22 season after 17 successful years at the helm to concentrate on her administrative responsibilities.

Butler previously spent four seasons as the associate head women’s basketball coach with current Troy University assistant coach Stephanie Murphy at Coahoma Community College, where they collectively turned around the program. The Lady Tigers put together a composite record of 36-10 during a successful two-year span as one of the top teams in the MACCC.

While having previously assisted Murphy in all aspects of the day-to-day coaching responsibilities at Coahoma on and off the basketball court, Butler helped instill a winning culture among the CCC players within a program that improved from a seven-win season in 2018-19 to a 21-7 squad that finished as 2022 MACCC Tournament runners-up and NJCAA Region 23 Tournament semifinalists. The year prior during the pandemic-altered 2020-21 season, the Lady Tigers rode a 14-game winning streak to finish as MACCC co-champions and Region 23 Tournament runners-up.

Noted for his player development success as well as sending talent to the next level, Butler played a major role in helping develop several Coahoma players who went on to compete within the university ranks. Headlining that impressive list were 2021-22 MACCC Most Valuable Player Nakia Cheatham (Alcorn State) and 2020-21 MACCC North Division Player of the Year Jurnee McLaurin (Grambling State).

Butler’s college coaching experience began when he served as a graduate assistant on the Mississippi College women’s basketball coaching staff during the 2016-17 season.

Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Butler earned a scholarship at Mississippi State after starting his college career as a walk-on forward for the Bulldogs. The former practice player earned an athletic scholarship during his final semester of his senior year. Butler completed his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with concentrations in kinesiology, psychology and history. During his senior year, Butler was awarded MSU’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award for men’s basketball and was selected as a 2014-15 SEC Community Service team member.

Butler has also worked as a personal trainer and skills development coach since 2015, which have proved invaluable during strength and conditioning team workouts and individual skill development sessions throughout his rising coaching career.

Born in Fort Polk, La., Butler attended Brandon (Miss.) High School and participated in basketball and track. As a prep senior, he helped lead the Bulldogs to a 24-7 record and an appearance in the Class 6A South State championship game.

Butler is married to the former Adrianna Neal, of Brandon, and they are the proud parents of a 4-year-old son, Eli.