Butler Vice President and Director of Athletics Barry Collier announced today (Thursday, Oct. 2) that men’s basketball head coach Brandon Miller will be taking a break from his duties with the Bulldogs.

"Brandon Miller has requested a leave of absence for medical reasons, which the University has granted," stated Collier. "We are not in a position to further elaborate and we ask that everyone respect Brandon’s privacy."

"Chris Holtmann has been appointed interim head coach," added the Butler athletic director.

Holtmann joined Miller’s staff as an assistant coach last year after serving three seasons as head coach at Gardner-Webb University. In his final season at the North Carolina school, he guided the basketball program to a Division I school-record 21 victories and a berth in the CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament. He was named Big South Conference Coach of the Year and NABC District 3 Coach Of the Year.

Butler, heading into its second season in the BIG EAST, officially begins men’s basketball practice on Saturday, Oct. 4. The Bulldogs will open the 2014-15 season at newly-renovated Hinkle Fieldhouse on Nov. 1 with an exhibition game against the University of Chicago, the alma mater of legendary Butler coach Paul D. "Tony" Hinkle.