Jim McGrath wanted to be a pharmacist.

Butler University’s sports information director of 31 years never intended to become involved in the sports information field.

A 1971 graduate of Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., McGrath considered attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, among others, to study pharmacy.

“When I got to Augustana, I found out they didn’t have a pharmacy school,” McGrath said. “To get into a pharmacy school, the stuff that I was taking at Augustana was not going to help me.

“So I said, ‘OK, we’ve got to do an about- face, change where we’re going.’”

McGrath decided to move in the direction of a law career. His interest in political science and history prompted him to sculpt his time at Augustana with law school in mind.

It was not until his later years as an undergraduate that his first opportunity in sports information presented itself.

“I was looking for a job at the school, and I noticed they had an opening for a student sports information director,” McGrath said. “I had no idea what that was, but the word ‘sports’ intrigued me.”

Even during his two years in the position, McGrath still anticipated attending law school. It was not until just after his graduation that Augustana’s athletic director approached him with an offer to be the school’s first full-time SID.

“I took the job thinking, ‘I could still go on to law school a year or two down the road if I don’t like this,’” McGrath said. “That was 41 years ago, so law school is still on the back burner.”

McGrath spent his first 10 years in the profession at Augustana. While there, he served as the host SID for five NCAA Division III national basketball championships and acted as the director of communications for the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin for five years.

“It turned out to be just a blessing,” McGrath said. “I’ve loved every minute of the job. I could’ve seen myself staying at Augustana forever, but there was a desire to move on and get into a Division I atmosphere.”

After he made the decision to look elsewhere, McGrath wrote to 50 NCAA Division I schools. Among the schools McGrath sent letters to were UCLA, Pepperdine, Florida State and Arizona.

He also included many schools in the Midwest. Butler was among them.

“I really didn’t know a whole lot about Butler at the time,” he said.

Of the 50 schools he contacted, 48 responded to McGrath’s letter. All 48 thanked him for his time but expressed no interest in bringing him aboard. He never heard from the other two universities.

“I thought, ‘Well, it was worth the exercise, and I’ll consider other options,’” he said.

About two weeks later, McGrath received a phone call from former Butler athletic director and football coach Bill Sylvester. Sylvester asked McGrath to become the school’s first full time SID in 1981.

“When I first got to Butler, I thought this would be a good place to springboard my career in Division I,” he said. “I thought I could see myself working here three to five years, then maybe moving on to the Big 10.”

Five years into his career at Butler, McGrath got a call from a friend living in Chicago. There was an opening in the Chicago White Sox public relations department, and McGrath’s friend encouraged him to take a look at it.

McGrath and his wife, Judy, are both Chicago natives.

“I’m a lifelong Chicago White Sox fan,” McGrath said. “I went home that night and asked my wife what she thought about going back to Chicago.”

She did not have the reaction McGrath anticipated.

“My wife said she really liked it here,” he said. “And I said, ‘You’re right, I like it here too.’”

McGrath never applied for the position and has never pursued any other job than the one with the White Sox, a testament to his love for Butler athletics.

“I’ve been a Butler person through and through since then,” he said. “As she’s been throughout our marriage, my wife was right.”

Under McGrath’s watchful eyes, the Butler athletics department has grown to heights never before anticipated.

The greatest amount of growth has come in the last five years, during which the men’s basketball team has experienced success.

“He’s responsible for covering everything that we do, and he’s seen a lot of growth,” Athletic Director Barry Collier said. “Jim knows Butler and knows his role better than just about anybody. He provides leadership.”

During McGrath’s time at Butler, he has served as the host SID for four NCAA Division I men’s basketball Final Fours and one women’s Final Four.

Butler has also hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament nine times. Since Butler hosted these games, McGrath was responsible for behind-the-scenes operations during each event.

McGrath also was recently inducted into the Butler sports Hall of Fame.

Many of Butler’s coaches have expressed appreciation for all that McGrath does.

“In the 12 years that I’ve been here, Jim’s been that one steady figure,” volleyball coach Sharon Clark said. “He’s so knowledgeable. He’s seen so much of the evolution of where the athletic department is now.”

Football coach Jeff Voris has worked with McGrath during the entirety of his Butler career and says he would not have it any other way.

“He is class, professionalism, everything rolled into one,” Voris said. “There’s not a job that we request that he doesn’t complete with enthusiasm, and he’s provided everything we’ve needed.”

One of the things Butler coaches like best about McGrath is his ability to stay involved in virtually every program while giving each one so much attention.

“He cares as much about our program as he does about the rest of the programs,” Voris said. “He’s hands-on with every program. He truly is Butler athletics.”

While so much of his time has been spent on advancing the Augustana and Butler athletics departments, McGrath has also found ways to get his name known on an international level.

During his 41-year career, he has served in press operations for United States amateur national championships in boxing, swimming and track and field.

He also held a press officer position at the 1986 Olympic Festival and at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. At those games, McGrath sent a young and tattoo-less Mike Tyson to fetch him popcorn at a boxing event. The now infamous boxer was a team alternate at the Los Angeles games.

McGrath also worked for the 1987 Pan American Games when Indianapolis hosted them.

McGrath and his wife have three sons—Chad, Scott and Christopher.

While McGrath has said nothing of retiring, he will eventually leave a void not easily replaced, Voris said.

“He doesn’t have an offseason,” he said. “The pride he puts into Butler and our programs, I can’t say enough about him.”

By his own admission, McGrath doesn’t have any favorite moments or athletes, just years of good memories and positive experiences.

“My favorite moments,” he said, “pretty much always come back to the athletes.”

This is the Rotnei Clarke Butler fans have been waiting to see. Clarke’s superb shooting was on display during Saturday’s 74-59 win over Elon in the regular season opener at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The Bulldogs were very impressive throughout the game. They played with urgency at the defensive end and took good shots offensively. Clarke finished with 21 points on 50 percent shooting from the field and from three point land.

Freshman Kellen Dunham played 29 minutes in the win and tallied 18 points of his own. He was perfect from the free throw line and also shot 50 percent from the field.

As a team, Butler shot 50 percent from the field and 37 percent from three point territory. There were several electrifying alley-oops—one from Roosevelt Jones to Kameron Woods and another from Jones to Khyle Marshall.

Senior center Andrew Smith was caught up in foul trouble early and was never able to get into the flow of the game. He sat the majority of the first half after picking up two fouls, then most of the second half as he picked up his third and fourth fouls early on. He did not score in the contest but contributed a rebound, an assist and a steal.

An early season matchup on Tuesday with Xavier looms. Butler has shown they can score and play solid defense thus far, but Smith must contribute. The sharp shooting of Clarke and Dunham should open up the paint for Smith, Marshall and others.

Butler fans should be impressed with the way the team played in Saturday’s game, but the team has several areas to improve in before playing Xavier on Tuesday and in the Maui Invitational the following week.

The Butler men’s basketball team chalked up its second win of the exhibition season this past Saturday against the University of Indianapolis. The Bulldogs now start the regular season with their home opener against Elon on Saturday, Nov. 10.

The Greyhounds of Indianapolis provided Butler with another good test, one which it did not look like the Bulldogs would pass in the first half.

While playing sound defense throughout the game, the Butler offense struggled in the first half. Junior forward Khyle Marshall was the lone bright spot, scoring all 14 of his points in the first half. Butler has to be encouraged by the way Marshall has played thus far. He gives an added element of athleticism in the paint that no other player can provide.

Senior center Andrew Smith continued his early struggles. He ended the first half with a mere three points. Smith has been plagued by the same problems that he endured last season, his lack of physicality around the rim.

After a lackluster first half, senior point guard Rotnei Clarke came out strong in the second half and finished with 18 points. While still not shooting well from behind the arc, Clarke had success driving the lane and converting or getting fouled. He made all eight of his free throws. As Clarke becomes more comfortable with this system and his new role as point guard, his shooting will return. There is a reason many around the country consider him one of the most dynamic shooters in the NCAA.

Freshman Kellen Dunham is well on his way to living up to the lofty expectations placed on his shoulders. Dunham looked like the consummate Butler basketball player in Saturday’s game. He is fundamentally sound and shows great hustle and a high motor. He is a fantastic free throw shooter and dangerous if left open anywhere on the court. Dunham appears poised to break through early on this season.

Sophomore Kameron Woods played another strong game, recording nine rebounds, tied for the team lead with Marshall. Woods also blocked three shots. Woods is one of the most intimidating defensive presences Butler has, but he has shown skill around the rim offensively early on. While only finishing with two points, Woods pulled down four offensive rebounds.

Indianapolis is a much better team than the Marian team that Butler played in the first exhibition. Stevens said he thought Butler responded well to the challenges they presented, challenges that Atlantic 10 teams like Massachusetts and Virginia Commonwealth will also present.

Butler fans have plenty to look forward to with the regular season beginning on Saturday. Stevens will continue to experiment with different combinations, but there should be some sense of urgency to establish a regular rotation. Butler plays Marquette in the opening round of the Maui Invitational in less than two weeks.

The Butler men’s basketball team will be facing Atlantic 10 Conference competition for the first time this season without junior guard Chrishawn Hopkins.

Hopkins, who was dismissed from the team on Wednesday, Sept. 12, was expected to grow into more of a leadership role and be a force on the court for the Bulldogs this season.

With the loss of Hopkins, Butler loses a starter from last year’s squad.

The shooting guard played in all 37 contests last season, starting 24 of them. He averaged 9.1 points per game, good enough for third on the team.

The question now is: where does Butler go from here?

If this year’s team could afford to lose a player at any position, it would be in the backcourt. The 2012-13 version of the Bulldogs features plenty of backcourt depth. Stevens now will have an easier time giving players the minutes they need to improve.

Senior transfer Rotnei Clarke is already penciled in as the starter at point guard, replacing Ronald Nored. Hopkins probably would have started at the shooting guard position, but that spot is now vacant.

A platoon of players will step into that role for the team this season.

Sophomore guard Jackson Aldridge figures to play a more prominent role in the season. His playing time decreased down the stretch last season, but he should see some minutes early on.

Senior Chase Stigall and sophomores Elliott Kampen and Alex Barlow could also fight for time.

Stigall is a reliable defender and also is very familiar with Stevens’ offensive and defensive systems, having played in them for three years.

Kampen and Barlow, both walk-ons last season, saw important minutes down the stretch last year, leading me to believe that Stevens trusts them in important situations.

Butler’s three newcomers, Kellen Dunham, Devontae Morgan and Chris Harrison-Docks, all could see time at Hopkins’ position as well.

The 6’6” Dunham might see the most. While only a freshman, he proved himself a good shooter in his high school career.

Pair Dunham’s shooting skills with those of Clarke, and Butler could light up some Atlantic 10 scoreboards this season.

However, Dunham will need to show he is a capable defender as well, something not easily learned in Stevens’ complex system.

The rest of the starting lineup seems fairly predictable.

Senior Andrew Smith will anchor the Bulldogs in the paint.

Junior Khyle Marshall will bring athleticism to court, something the team will be lacking with the loss of Hopkins, and sophomore Roosevelt Jones looks to build off a strong freshman season.

Jones has an interesting skill set. While not the best shooter, he proved last year that he has the strength and stamina to play in the paint, as well as the athleticism and ball-handling skills to run the offense from time to time.

Whichever direction Stevens and the team decide to go, replacing Hopkins will not be easy, especially when joining one of the best college basketball conferences in the country this season.

Some might think the team will play better without Hopkins. They may say that the junior never truly fit into the offensive system the team was trying to run.

But that ability to create shots for himself was what made him so valuable to the program.

Though there’s still a month until practice officially starts, the Butler basketball team is making headlines.

The Butler men’s basketball team lost to the Pittsburgh Panthers 68-62 in overtime Wednesday night in a rematch of last season’s NCAA Tournament game.

The game was part of the semifinal round of the College Basketball Invitational.

Photo by Reid Bruner

Sophomore forward Khyle Marshall scored a career-high 22 points to lead all Butler scorers. He also collected eight rebounds, a team-high for the Bulldogs (22-15).

The game was back and forth with neither team leading by more than six points.

Butler came out hot in the first half and jumped out to an 18-12 lead.

Freshman walk-on guard Alex Barlow keyed the run with several assists, including an alley-oop pass to Marshall that brought the crowd of 3,754 people to its feet.

Barlow finished tied with senior guard Ronald Nored for the team lead in assists with four.

“[Barlow] works on his game as hard as anybody we’ve got,” coach Brad Stevens said. “He’s here for the right reasons.”

Junior center Andrew Smith continued his run of solid outings late into the season. He contributed 19 points and six rebounds.

“This tournament has been really good,” Stevens said. “The practices between games were terrific, and we had some guys that really grew. Khyle and Andrew have had moments in this tournament where they’ve been great.”

The Bulldogs went to the locker room down 26-24 at halftime but came out firing in all cylinders.

The team repeatedly worked the ball to Smith and Marshall in the paint and the Panthers could not find an answer.

On the other end of the court, the Pittsburgh offense was just as potent. The rest of the Panthers (20-17) had no trouble scoring, despite 2012 Big East Preseason Player of Year senior Ashton Gibbs being held scoreless.

Redshirt sophomore forward Talib Zanna came off the bench to lead Pittsburgh with 15 points. Redshirt junior guard Tray Woodall, Gibbs’ mate in the backcourt, scored 12 points, all of which came in the second half.

“We had our chances,” Stevens said. “There were a lot of things we could have done to control that game. The difference between winning and losing is not that much.”

Freshman forward Roosevelt Jones headed to the free throw line with four seconds remaining in regulation for the Bulldogs. With the score tied at 52, Jones missed both free throws.

Pittsburgh was able to salt the game away from the free throw line in overtime. The Panthers shot 80 percent from the charity stripe while Butler shot a mere 57 percent.

The loss Wednesday marked the final home game for the team’s two seniors, Nored and forward Garrett Butcher.

Butcher’s only minute against Pittsburgh came in overtime when the game was all but out of reach.

“I can’t put it into words,” Butcher said. “Everything I’ve felt about this place for the last four years is going to make it a great memory for a lifetime.”

Nored played 35 minutes and contributed four points and two steals. He has expressed interest in coaching sometime down the road.

“I think my playing days are over,” Nored said.

“They’ve given so much,” Stevens said. “No two seniors we’ve ever had could have done a better job with this team.”

The Butler men’s basketball team started off the Horizon League tournament with a 70-52 victory over Wright State at Hinkle Fieldhouse Tuesday night.

It was a tale of two halves for the Bulldogs (19-13), who headed to the locker room with a one point lead.

“I thought in the first 10 minutes we were just timid,” coach Brad Stevens said. “That’s part of playing your first tournament game.”

Photo by Taylor Cox

Butler came out in the second half and went on a 13-0 run behind the play of sophomore forward Khyle Marshall.

Marshall scored all nine of his points in the second half, including six during the run.

Junior center Andrew Smith tallied a career-high 25 points and seven rebounds for the Bulldogs.

“Ever since the Valpo game, we’ve been focusing on people doing their jobs,” Smith said. “If we can do that, we’re a tough team to beat.”

Senior guard Ronald Nored recorded nine points on the night, along with three rebounds and six assists.

Nored is two assists shy of breaking Butler basketball’s all-time assist record, which is held by Mike Green.

Freshman forward Roosevelt Jones added 11 points, and sophomore guard Chrishawn Hopkins contributed 10.

The starters combined for 64 of the team’s 70 points.

For the Raiders (13-19), sophomore forward Cole Darling paced the offense with 12 points, while junior guard Julius Mays added 11.

From here, the Bulldogs will face the No. 4 seed, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, in the quarterfinals of the league tournament.

The contest will take place on Friday at 8:30 p.m. at Valparaiso’s Athletics-Recreation Center.

Because the Crusaders won the Horizon League regular season title, the remainder of the tournament’s games will take place in Valparaiso for as long as the Crusaders stay alive in the tournament

The winner of that game will face Valparaiso on Mar. 3 in a game that will be televised on ESPNU.