Kurt Butler 2022-23 Women's Rowing Staff

Kurt Butler, the director of operations, returned to Notre Dame in 2017-18 after serving as the Purdue women’s club rowing coach for three seasons. Butler previously spent 11 years as the Notre Dame men’s club crew team head coach while also serving as the operations specialist, boatman and rigger for the women’s rowing team from 2008 through 2014.

In addition to his operations duties, Butler will also serve as rigger and boatman. He will be responsible for the transportation, set up and maintenance of Notre Dame’s competitive boats.

“Kurt has a great history with Notre Dame rowing,” Stone said. “He was the first call I made and even while I talked to him about the position, coaches from around the country were calling me to recommend him. He has a wealth of knowledge, loves Notre Dame and this place feels like home to him. He is a tremendous resource and a great person who can get a lot of things done. He will help out the men’s club team and he adds to the University — both as part of varsity athletics and recreational sports.”

While serving as the head coach of the ND Rowing Club, Butler also worked with the Western Reserve Rowing Association in Cleveland, Ohio, from 2001-05 and was the head coach for the recreational masters, novice and experienced junior program. He guided his competitive masters team to victories at Canadian Henley and Masters Nationals.

Butler’s relationship with the Notre Dame club crew team is so strong that one of the team’s competitive shells bears his name.

Prior to his previous stint at Notre Dame, Butler served as the assistant crew coach at Connecticut College for the 2000-01 season and was the crew coach at Oswego State University in the fall of 1998.

Butler began his coaching career in the fall of 1991 when he was appointed co-coach of the women’s program at Marietta College during his senior year. Four years later, he was named volunteer assistant coach at Purdue University for both the men’s and women’s teams, serving in that capacity from 1995-97. During his tenure with the Boilermaker program, he coached the women’s varsity eight crews to second and third-place finishes at the Dad Vail Regatta and a second-place finish representing the United States in the International Invitational at the Henley Women’s Regatta.

Butler earned his bachelor’s of science in petroleum engineering from Marietta College in 1992 and later received his master’s of science in management from Purdue University in `97.