FORMER CARDINAL STAR GETS NEW GIG
University of Charleston has hired Becky Burke as its next head women's basketball coach to lead the Golden Eagles into the 2018-19 season.
Burke's impact was immediate. In
her first season with ERAU she led the team to a winning record, with the Eagles finishing 14-12 in their inaugural season. She basically built the program from scratch.
Prior to taking on the job of building the Embry-Riddle program, Burke was a member of the staff at Saint Joseph's College (Ind.) where she was the first assistant coach for the 2014-15 campaign. She was primarily responsible for individual development at the guard position, along with implementing defensive schemes, as well as serving as the Puma's recruiting coordinator and strength and conditioning coach.
During the 2013-14 season, Burke was the director of basketball operations at California State – Fullerton where she helped the Titans record an 8-8 record in Big West Conference play.We all remember, hopefully, her time as a Cardinal. A 2012 graduate of the University of Louisville with a degree in sports management, She was the three-point threat on Walz teams and a part of three NCAA Tournament teams, including helping the Cardinals to the NCAA championship game in 2009 and to the Sweet 16 in 2011. Burke led the team in scoring as a sophomore and was second as a senior, averaging 13.8 and 11.9 points per game respectively. As a senior she tied the school record for three-pointers in a game, draining eight against Syracuse.
Burke's Louisville career ended as a member of the school's 1,000-point club and became just the second Cardinal ever to participate in the State Farm College Three-Point Championship her senior year, placing second.
University of Charleston decided on Burke following a national search for a new WBB head coach to replace Adam Collins, who was below .500 the past two seasons.
The Golden Eagles had (18) players create stats in the 2017-18 season and just two were seniors, so Burke will have plenty of student-athletes to evaluate. Three double-digit performers return and nine of the athletes on last year's roster were from Ohio....zero from Kentucky.
"Becky emerged as a talented leader that is most prepared to coach the Golden Eagles in this era of highly competitive college basketball" said Director of Athletics, Dr. Bren Stevens. "Coach Burke will be able to develop our student-athletes and prepare them for productive lives both on and off the court which aligns perfectly with our mission."
Glenville State, Notre Dame College (no, not the South Bend Irish), WVU State, West Liberty, Fairmont State, Wheeling Jesuit, Urbana, Shepherd, Concord, WVU Wesleyan and UVA-Wise.
It's an NCAA Division II Conference., too...a step up from the NAIA. The Golden Eagles went 13-17 in 2017-18 season...8-14 in-conference.
If you are on I-77 headed to the West Virginia Turnpike and going south to ACC Country...you can see their football stadium right next to the Interstate.
We're not sure whether B.B. could ever get Coach Walz to put University of Charleston on the schedule or not. They traveled out-of-state a mere (4) times last season.
Another branch from the Walz coaching tree that is in bloom and one that basically started as a small twig and continued to grow and sprout. A long way from the Pennsylvania 4A Player of the Year days in high school. A long way from the heart-to-heart, let's sit down and talk and figure it out days with Stephanie Norman and Jeff Walz.
Becky Burke, CARDINAL COUPLE salutes you and....go "Coach 'em up!" From Eagles to Golden Eagles and originally a Cardinal...Burke continues to soar high and keeps climbing.
(Parts of today's article from the University of Charleston sports information department)
paulie
xxxxx
Best of success to Becky. I remember her playing days well.
ReplyDeleteCurtis "Three C" Franklin
Clemson WBB has hired a new head coach, in case you missed it. Gone is Audra Smith. The experiment with her has ended after five years and a 52-99 record. She was 9-70 in the ACC.
ReplyDeleteIn is Amanda Butler, formerly of Florida. She made (4) NCAA appearances there in 10 years.
My Tigers WBB squad hasn't seen the NCAA Tournament since 2002, went we still had Jim Davis at head coach.
Hopefully, we get a reversal of fortunes. Smith was an optimistic, upbeat and positive influence on the team but, ultimately, it didn't turn into an atmosphere that could win games.
University of Charleston gets a good one in Burke. I remember her as not just a three-point specialist but as a very good free throw shooters and having a high % from all over the floor. I never got a chance to see her play live, the Cards not in the ACC then, but I do remember a game a few years back when she lit up Syracuse for 7 or 8 threes.
I also remember that South Carolina was heavily recruiting her out of high school but she eventually ended up at Louisville.
Good luck to Becky and thanks for the article, Paulie.
Your friend,
#1 Clemson Fan
Arthur
Greer, SC
Burke doing what it seems she loves -- staying with hoops after graduation. 18 players on a roster tho. That must be confusing -- especially for a first year coach.
ReplyDelete"Becky did a remarkable job for us in leading this program through its first three years of existence," said Jaime Long, ERAU's Director of Athletics. "She put our program in a great place and we look forward to continuing to build the program on the foundation Becky put in place. We wish her all the best in her new position at the University of Charleston."
ReplyDeleteSo, it doesn't look like there were any hard feelings on the surface. I wonder if she'll get to take any of the chimps they send into space there with her?
Paulie
Thank you for the update, Arthur! Audra Smith did nothing for your program. Look for more success in upcoming seasons!
ReplyDelete