Butler University Athletics

Grant Leiendecker, a member of the Bulldogs' 2010 and 2011 men's basketball teams that reached the national championship game, assumed his Vice President/Director of Athletics responsibilities in May of 2024. 

In his two years leading Butler Athletics, the department has experienced incredible success, including:

• Record fundraising initiatives that include more than 100 families supporting Bulldog Athletics at the new Butler Way Society giving level;
• Securing a $12 million estate gift from trustee Rebecca Graham Paul, which is the largest documented Butler University estate gift and the largest gift ever to Butler Athletics;
• Agreeing to a 10-year multimedia partnership with Playfly Sports, the leading revenue maximizer of the sports industry;
• Solidifying (alongside Playfly Sports), a partnership with Droplight, which is the largest and most comprehensive sponsorship agreement in Butler Athletics history;
• Enhancements to Hinkle Fieldhouse that include more than 2,700 square feet of LED video display technology, including a center hung display system, baseline LED ribbons, multiple courtside tables, and other digital signage;
• Hiring Butler alums Ronald Nored and Maria Marchesano to lead the Bulldog Basketball programs; 
• Four consecutive semesters with Butler student-athletes achieving a collective GPA of 3.4 or better in the classroom; 
• Extending the long-standing partnership with Nike as the official apparel and equipment provider for Butler Athletics.

Leiendecker initially returned to Butler University as Associate Vice President—Athletics in August of 2023. After a national search to replace the retiring Barry Collier, Butler President James M. Danko announced in late January, 2024 that Leiendecker would serve his alma mater as the next director of athletics. He worked alongside Collier over the next few months before officially assuming Director of Athletics responsibilities with Collier's retirement.

In his previous role as Associate VP-Athletics, Leiendecker served as a senior leader in the athletics department with responsibility for leading the comprehensive advancement program for athletics. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in elevating the focus on delivering exceptional fan experiences while leveraging his experience at other top programs to foster an environment that supports optimal performance for our student-athletes and teams.

AT MARQUETTE AND NORTH CAROLINA
Leiendecker returned to Butler after spending the previous four years as Assistant Vice President, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development at Marquette University. In addition to leading the athletics development team at Marquette, Leiendecker served as a member of the athletics and university advancement leadership teams. Under his leadership, Marquette Athletics achieved consistent annual growth in total fundraising and donor participation over the previous four years, culminating with a total of more than $15.7 million in commitments in the most recent fiscal year. Leiendecker previously served as Director of Major Gifts for The Rams Club at University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill. As a member of the UNC athletics fundraising team, he played an integral role in achieving record-setting fundraising years of more than $60 million for three consecutive years.

AS A STUDENT-ATHLETE AT BUTLER
Leiendecker was a scholarship member of the Butler men's basketball program. He was inducted into the Butler Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021 along with his teammates on the 2010 and 2011 teams that made appearances in the national championship game.

PERSONAL
He graduated from Butler in 2011 with a degree in finance. After graduation, he served as a postgraduate intern at the NCAA in Indianapolis before moving to Chapel Hill to attend graduate school. Leiendecker earned a master's degree in sport administration from UNC in 2014. Grant and his wife, Kylee (who is also a Butler graduate), have five children—Luke, Louise, Lucy, Lettie, and Lawson.