A distinguished three-sport athlete, John ‘Jay’ Butler helped forge Castleton’s winning tradition in men’s basketball during the early 1980’s. Butler also ran cross country in the fall and then played tennis in the spring. He earned the “Rocky” Mazzetta award in 1982, graduated from Castleton in 1983 and was inducted into the Castleton Hall of Fame in 1997.
Q: Where are you now?
Butler: I am currently the Director of Athletics and Recreation at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, N.Y. I am married and have two amazing children; Helene is 23 and a special education teacher in Frederick, Md. and Joshua is a 14-year-old rising eighth grade student at Hawthorne Christian Academy. My wife, Tammy, is the Director of Advancement at Hawthorne Christian Academy.
Q: What are some of the top moments from your Castleton career?
Butler: I would have to say one of my top moments overall is just having the opportunity to letter in three sports. I ran cross country to get in shape for basketball and then played tennis in the spring. I was blessed with outstanding coaches during my career at Castleton and they helped me develop my philosophy as a professional. As far as top game memory it would have to be our nail-biting victory at St. Thomas Aquinas College. I am originally from northern New Jersey so this was a game we played close to my home. It is always great to have the support of family and friends and the win was the cherry on top.
Q: Who was your best teammate or coach?
Butler: I was blessed with great coaches for every sport and best teammate … wow that is not fair as I had so many. For tennis it has to be my doubles partner and roommate for one year, Bill Lynch. Bill was also our team manger for basketball. He was very quiet and low key like me and we had a great relationship. I loved playing with Bill because he was a fierce competitor and hated to lose. In cross country it has to be Nate Nadeau and Russ Halpern. We lived in the same suite my junior year and had such a great time. They were great runners and great people. There were so many for basketball: Mike Porrier, Scott Woodward, Bobby V (Van Vaulkenburgh yes, we had the real Bobby V), Matt Dempsey (fellow Jersey boy), Lee Smith, Scott Sterling, Brian DeLoatch … all were awesome guys and made playing fun while being in-your-face competitive!
Q: What does being a Castleton Alum mean?
Butler: It means a great deal to me. As time flies by the memories fade but the spirit remains. I have such fond memories of my time in Castleton. I was a city boy adjusting to rural Vermont. It was tough at first but the people embraced me and I was able to succeed. I had professionals who deeply cared for me and helped me grow into the person I am today. I am deeply indebted to those individuals (Dr. Ash, Mr. Terry, Mrs. Evans, Dr. Cook, Mr. Thieser, and as mentioned before all of my coaches).
Q: Any advice for current Castleton student-athletes?
Butler: Enjoy the moment. Four years is like a blink of the eye. Get Involved. Get Involved. Get Involved. Be a leader, not a follower. Make an impact and leave a legacy. Take advantage of the beauty that is all around you … take a hike, go skiing, read a book, live life!
View Butler’s Hall of Fame bio, as well as bios for all of our Hall of Fame members. Nominate a former student-athlete, coach, or deserving alumni for induction to the Hall of fame.