UNC coach Roy Williams’ classy gesture honors Bo Ryan’s late father

Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan and his father, Butch, attended every Final Four together from 1976 until the streak was broken in 2013 because of Butch’s declining health. Butch died that summer less than a year before his son finally made it to the college game’s ultimate stage with the Badgers in 2014. 

Butch and Bo were popular figures at the Final Four each year and plenty of Ryan’s fellow coaches liked to sit with Butch and listen to his stories. 

North Carolina coach Roy Williams had Butch Ryan on his mind Monday with Bo coaching in the national title game against Duke. Williams left one of his tickets to the game unused in honor of Butch Ryan. It was a classy move by the Tar Heels coach and obviously appreciated by Ryan. 

Bo and Butch Ryan never missed a Final Four. Touching gesture from Coach Williams @UNC_Basketball pic.twitter.com/oEbdrJUEqa

— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) April 7, 2015

Sect. 140, Row A, Seat 13 will be left open for tonight’s game. Roy Williams has donated that seat to the memory of the late Butch Ryan.

— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) April 7, 2015

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[Kyle Ringo is the assistant editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KyleRingo