Ronald Nored, a native of Homewood, Alabama, has been appointed head coach of the Butler University men’s basketball program, bringing a full‑circle story to the campus where he once chased championship dreams as a player.
During his playing years at Butler, Nored helped the Bulldogs reach back‑to‑back NCAA championship games in 2010 and 2011, experiences that cemented his love for the university and sparked an early ambition to one day coach the team.
A Coach Shaped by Family and Mentors
The path to the sidelines was never a surprise to Nored; he decided while still a student that coaching was his calling, a resolve shaped by the guidance of his high school mentor, Tim Shepler, and the indelible example set by his father.
Shepler, who coached Nored at Homewood High School, has described his former player as a true leader and an optimistic force, qualities that Nored says are essential for rebuilding the program.
Nored’s father, the late Reverend Ronald Nored Sr., served as pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Ensley and passed away from pancreatic cancer when his son was in eighth grade; the elder Nored’s devotion to community and to the sport left a lasting imprint on his son’s aspirations.
Now, Nored hopes to translate that legacy into tangible success for the Bulldogs, aiming to make his hometown of Homewood proud and to give back to the game that shaped his life.