Football | 4/22/2016 9:30:00 AM

HOF Profile: Butler led dominant defense to HOF

North Park University Assistant football coach Gary Butler will be inducted in to the California University of Pennsylvania Athletics Hall of Fame at the 21st Annual Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner Friday, April 22.

Butler made progress throughout his four years as a CalU Vulcan. By his sophomore season, he became a starter and helped lead CalU to their first PSAC-West championship in 21 years. Later as a senior, Butler was selected as the PSAC-West Defensive Player of the Year as well earning D2Football.com and Daktronics All-American honors after setting single-season records with 12 sacks and 19 tackles for losses, along with 69 total tackles. He also recorded two safeties and recovered two fumbles that year all while CalU finished its first perfect regular season (11-0) since 1958, in route to a 13-1 campaign and an appearance in the NCAA Division II national semifinals.

Since transitioning from player to coach with former Vulcans' associate head coach and current North Park head coach Mike Conway, Butler has helped change the culture of North Park football that has developed into a successful and competitive atmosphere in the CCIW. Conway believes Gary has an exceptional coaching career ahead of him.  "He is an outstanding coach and role model who has used the same work ethic and passion he had as a player on the field to build into the lives of the players he now coaches," Conway said.