BUTLER TWP — He has no coaching experience, but Matt Clement has experienced plenty.

And it was the latter that landed him the Butler boys basketball head coaching position.

Clement, 34, a former Golden Tornado point guard who spent 16 years in professional baseball — nine in the major leagues — was hired at the Butler school board meeting Monday night after a 9-0 vote.

"I'm grateful to the board for this opportunity," Clement said. "I don't take it lightly at all, the responsibility that's been put on me."

Clement replaces Joe Lewandowski, who compiled a 74-88 record with one WPIAL playoff appearance in seven seasons before his position was opened in April.

Clement retired from baseball after trying to make the Toronto Blue Jays roster in spring training earlier this year. He last pitched in the big leagues in June 2006 and underwent extensive shoulder surgery that September.

"I always believe the Lord has a plan for you," Clement said. "As crazy as this whole chain of events went, I'm excited about having this job to commit to now that I'm done playing.

"This is the only basketball job I've ever wanted. I'm not using this as a springboard toward any other job. I'm hoping to do this for a long period of time."

Assistant superintendent Jerry Slamecka said 34 applications were received for the position and 10 candidates were interviewed.

Clement was one of four candidates called back for a second interview.

"Matt was an outstanding basketball player at Butler who wound up playing baseball because he could throw the ball 95 mph," school board member Arthur Haag said. "His first love is basketball and he played basketball for a long time.

"Training is training in pro sports. He will offer to our young people the experiences he learned in 16 years of professional baseball."

A point guard for Butler from 1991-93, Clement was part of a basketball team that compiled a 73-14 record during that time. He sat on the bench as a freshman, played junior varsity as a sophomore and was the starting point guard on the Tornado's WPIAL runner-up team of 1993.

As a high-school player, Clement was part of a WPIAL championship team in 1991 and two section title squadss.

From being the eighth man as a junior, he became an all-WPIAL player his senior year and had scholarship offers from Pitt, Robert Morris, Duquesne, Bucknell and Lafayette. He threw 18 innings of high school baseball and had a 16-year pro baseball career.

"I know what the results of hard work can bring," Clement said. "And I know the kids in this program love to play basketball. "

After earning millions of dollars as a major league pitcher, Clement's coaching salary will be $6,140.

Clement coached grade school basketball in the Butler system the past two years and has never coached above that level.

"This is a chance for me to give back to the community that's supported me so much," Clement said. "I believe in my heart that I can turn this program around and I'll be relentless in my efforts to do that.

"Discipline, dedication, hard work, character and integrity — that's what I built my career on and that's what I'll build my team on."

Butler athletic director Curt Phillips lauded Clement for choosing to live in Butler his entire life.

"Matt has always considered Butler as his home during his 16 years as a professional athlete," Phillips said in a prepared statement. "He went to Butler High School, played at Butler High School and has shown his commitment to the school district and community.

"As a professional athlete, Matt will be able to share his experiences with our student athletes. Matt's dedication, discipline, passion and commitment will serve well for the students of the Butler Area School District."

Butler finished 7-15 last season with no starters returning. Every starter returns for the 2009-10 campaign.

"I expect to win," Clement said. "I've never done anything in my life not expecting to win. We could be graduating eight seniors, I'd still expect to win."

Clement hopes to begin his open gyms by the end of this week. He has a few candidates in mind for the assistant coaching positions.

"He's friends with other coaches in our system and they are more than willing to coach with him," Haag said. "There's plenty of reasons to believe in this guy."