Photo courtesy of Butler Athletics.

CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu 

President James Danko announced on Jan. 26 that Grant Leiendecker will assume the role of vice president and director of athletics on May 1. 

Leiendecker previously served four years at Marquette University as the assistant vice president, senior associate athletic director for development. He also worked as a member of their athletics and university advancement teams. Leiendecker served as the director of major gifts for the Rams Club at the University of North Carolina. 

Leiendecker graduated from Butler with a degree in finance in 2011 and was also a member of the 2010 and 2011 basketball teams that made appearances in the NCAA national championship game. He returned to Butler in August 2023 to assume the new role of associate vice president of athletics, working alongside current Director of Athletics Barry Collier. 

Leiendecker said he was honored to be given this role in a statement to Butler Athletics. 

“I am extremely humbled and excited to serve Butler as the university’s Director of Athletics,” Leiendecker said. “In many ways, our alma mater is home for my wife Kylee and me, and our family has always considered ourselves part of the Bulldog family. I’m grateful to President Danko, the search committee, and the board of trustees for this opportunity, and to Barry Collier for his leadership of Butler Athletics and his mentorship personally. There is a solid foundation, which includes so many talented student-athletes, coaches and administrators, for us to continue to build upon as we boldly pursue unprecedented heights for Butler Athletics and our university as a whole.”  

Leiendecker will assume his new roles on May 1, 2024 upon Collier’s previously announced retirement.