Niya Butts

{{Short description|American basketball coach (born 1978)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Niya Butts

| image =

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|1|10}}

| birth_place = Americus, Georgia

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| player_years1 = 1996–2000

| player_team1 = Tennessee

| player_positions = Forward

| coach_years1 = 2000–2002

| coach_team1 = Tennessee Tech (asst.)

| coach_years2 = 2002–2003

| coach_team2 = Michigan State (asst.)

| coach_years3 = 2003–2008

| coach_team3 = Kentucky (asst.)

| coach_years4 = 2008–2016

| coach_team4 = Arizona

| coach_years5 = 2016–2024

| coach_team5 = Kentucky (asst.)

| overall_record = 102–147 ({{Winning percentage|102|147}})

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}}

Niya Denise Butts (born January 10, 1978) is a former American women's college basketball coach, most recently serving as associate head coach at the University of Kentucky.[https://www.wkyt.com/2020/12/06/kyra-elzy-will-not-coach-vs-indiana-due-to-non-covid-health-reasons/ Kyra Elzy will not coach vs. Indiana due to non-COVID health reasons: Associate head coach Niya Butts will step in and coach the Wildcats.] She is the former head coach at the University of Arizona. As a player, she was a part of two national championships at the University of Tennessee.

Butts, a 6'0" forward from Americus, Georgia, played college basketball for Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt at Tennessee from 1996 to 2000. She was a reserve for the Lady Vols, averaging 2.3 points and 1.2 rebounds per game, but was a part of National Championship teams in both 1997 and 1998. She was also a three-time Southeastern Conference All-Academic selection.{{cite web| title = 2011–12 Tennessee Women's Basketball Media Guide| publisher = University of Tennessee| year = 2011 | url =http://www.utladyvols.com/sports/w-baskbl/guides/2011-12/pdf/11-12-wbb-history.pdf| accessdate = December 18, 2011}}

Following the close of her playing career, Butts entered the coaching ranks by taking an assistant coach role at Tennessee Tech in 2000. After two years there, she spent a season at Michigan State, then moved to the University of Kentucky as an assistant for head coach Mickie DeMoss. She was promoted to associate head coach for the 2007–08 season.

In 2008, she was named the first African-American head women's basketball coach at Arizona.{{cite web| title = University of Arizona coaching biography| publisher = University of Arizona| year = 2011 | url =http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/butts_niya00.html| format=http| accessdate = December 18, 2011}} On March 4, 2016, she coached her last game for Arizona at the Pac-12 tournament.

On May 14, 2016, the University of Kentucky announced that Butts would be returning to the women's basketball program as an assistant coach under head coach Matthew Mitchell.{{cite web| title = Former Arizona Head Coach Niya Butts Named Assistant Coach| publisher = WLEX-TV| year = 2016 | url =http://www.lex18.com/story/31973419/former-arizona-head-coach-niya-butts-named-assistant-coach| accessdate = May 14, 2016}}