David Ragland was named head coach at Evansville on May 24, 2022.
Ragland enters his second season as an assistant coach at Butler with the 2022-23 season.
He will serve on Thad Matta's staff after initially being hired by LaVall Jordan in April of 2021.
Ragland, who helped Utah State to a record of 74-24 over the three seasons prior to joining the Butler staff, arrived in Indianapolis with nearly two decades of experience, including previous assistant coaching stops at Valparaiso, Northern Kentucky, Bowling Green, Indiana State, and Frank Phillips College, as well as his time at Utah State. Ragland also spent two seasons as the head coach at Vincennes University.
Utah State posted at least 20 wins in each of Ragland’s three seasons with the program. The Aggies made a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and had earned a spot in the 2020 field as well before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the remainder of the season. Utah State made three consecutive appearances in the Mountain West Tournament championship game, winning the title in both 2019 and 2020. The Aggies posted a 42-13 record in Mountain West games during his time in Logan.
As part of his responsibilities at Utah State, Ragland mentored the program’s wings, a group that included second-team All-MWC selection Justin Bean in 2020-21 and 2021 Mountain West Sixth Man of the Year Alphonso Anderson.
Ragland’s primary responsibility was overseeing the offense in his two seasons at Valparaiso. In his first season at Valparaiso, Ragland helped the Crusaders capture 24 victories, a Horizon League regular season championship and an at-large bid to the NIT. He also mentored Alec Peters, who was the 54th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft after being named the Horizon League Player of the Year.
Ragland’s only season at Northern Kentucky was also the first season in the Horizon League for the Norse. Two of his recruits, Jalen Tate and Lavonne Holland II, went on to earn All-Horizon League honors in the following season as a recruiting class Ragland helped to put together posted a 24-11 mark and earned an NCAA Tournament berth.
Ragland spent the 2014-15 season on the staff at Bowling Green, helping the Falcons to a 21-win season, including the program’s first postseason victory since 1975, a 67-64 win over Saint Francis (Pa.) in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Under his tutelage, Richaun Holmes earned first-team all-MAC honors, was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year and was drafted No. 37 in the 2015 NBA Draft.
Ragland was also a member on the bench at Indiana State, serving as an assistant coach from 2010-14 and helping the Sycamores to postseason appearances all four years. The run included a berth in the 2010-11 NCAA Tournament. ISU totaled 80 wins over those four seasons and beat four nationally-ranked opponents. Individually, Ragland helped to mentor Jake Odum, a three-time all-Missouri Valley honoree, and Khristian Smith, who was named the Missouri Valley Sixth Man of the Year during the 2013-14 season.
With Ragland at the helm, Vincennes went 44-19 in his two seasons. In 2009-10, the Trailblazers went 22-10 and reached the NJCAA district tournament finals. Prior to taking over the VU program in 2008, Ragland was an assistant with the program for three seasons, helping the Trailblazers to a 79-20 record during that span.
Ragland began his coaching career as an assistant at Frank Phillips College during the 2004-05 season, helping the team to a 25-5 record.
As a player, Ragland played his final two seasons at Southern Indiana, leading the Screaming Eagles to a total of 47 victories and leading the team in assists each year. He began his playing career at Missouri Southern State College, helping the team to a 30-3 record as a freshman and a spot at the NCAA Division II Final Four.
Ragland is a 2003 graduate of Southern Indiana with a degree in Communications. He and his wife, Annie, have two children: Ava and Joshua.
| Seasons |
|
Record |
| 2022-present |
Butler (Assistant Coach) |
14-19 |
| 2018-21 |
Utah State (Assistant Coach) |
74-24 |
| 2016-18 |
Valparaiso (Assistant Coach) |
39-26 |
| 2015-16 |
Northern Kentucky (Assistant Coach) |
24-11 |
| 2014-15 |
Bowling Green (Assistant Coach) |
21-12 |
| 2010-14 |
Indiana State (Assistant Coach) |
80-55 |
| 2008-10 |
Vincennes University (Head Coach) |
44-19 |
| 2005-08 |
Vincennes University (Assistant Coach) |
79-20 |
| 2004-05 |
Frank Phillips College (Assistant Coach) |
25-5 |
