BUTLER TWP — Dorothea Epps has decided to step down as head varsity girls basketball coach at Butler High School.

Epps has served as head coach of the Golden Tornado for the past 12 seasons and has been a coach in the program for 20 years. She submitted a letter of resignation to athletic director Bill Mylan late Tuesday afternoon.

The coach issued a statement Wednesday.

“I have decided not to continue coaching for the Butler Area School District,” Epps said. “There are several personal reasons for my leaving the district.

“However, I am grateful for the time I have spent here as a coach. I wish the girls basketball team continued success, and I would also like to thank the many parents and the community that have supported me, my family and our team throughout the years.”

The Butler Area School District hired an independent counsel to investigate parental complaints against Epps earlier this year. No wrongdoings were discovered and she retained her coaching position at Butler by a 6-2 school board vote on June 15.

Butler finished 7-15 last season and has missed the WPIAL playoffs in four of the past five years. Epps won 59 of 72 games from 2007-10 and won three successive section championships.

“I have had the privilege of coaching many outstanding student athletes, the majority of which have gone on to college to further their education,” Epps said in a statement.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to have coached so many wonderful and talented young women, and I will always cherish the memories and relationships that I have established with the girls during my coaching career.”

Girls basketball practice begins Monday and the 2015-16 season opener is only weeks away.

“This puts us in a bind,” Mylan said. “We don’t have much time to get a new coach in place and find someone to run the program for our student athletes.

“We can’t go through the usual interview process in this case because of the time restraints. I will be getting together with our administration (Thursday) and we’ll decide what direction we want to go.”

Butler did not have school Wednesday.

When asked if an interim coach may be appointed for this season so a more diligent interview process could take place for a permanent coach, Mylan said “that is a distinct possibility.”

Two of Epps’ former players, Holly Geibel and Ashley Nocera, served as her assistant coaches last season. Both recently resigned and two new assistants are expected to be approved at Monday’s school board meeting.

Mylan said a name will be recommended to the board Monday to take over as girls basketball coach this season.

“We’ll take care of this swiftly because there is no other choice,” he said.

“Coaching at the high school level requires a lengthy commitment not only from the coaches, but also from the student-athlete,” Epps said. “It requires a dedication that goes un-noticed to the average fan and/or parent.

“Despite your best intentions as a coach, some people will tend to be unhappy or disgruntled for a variety of reasons. I have always put my best foot forward as a coach and I expected my players to do the same.

“I am very pleased with the accomplishments of my teams over the years, and the success that many of my players have gone on to achieve after they concluded their high school years,” she added.

Epps plans to continue coaching and is weighing other options. She indicated she may join another high school staff as early as this season.

Butler is scheduled to begin the 2015-16 season Dec. 4 at the Armstrong Central Tip-Off Tournament.