March 27, 2002
Contact: Robert Lowery (509-963-1487/fax 509-963-2301/e-mail: loweryr@cwu.edu)
ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Former Central Washington University assistant men’s basketball coach Mike Burns has a new title today: associate head men’s basketball coach at Eastern Washington University.
Burns, 39, was promoted by head coach Ray Giacoletti after helping lead EWU to 34 wins over the past two seasons. The Eagles won 17 games in each of the past two seasons and advanced to the Big Sky Conference Tournament title game both years.
Burns spent three seasons, from 1996 to 1999, as an assistant to Greg Sparling at Central. The Wildcats were 62-29 and won three conference titles during his three seasons in Ellensburg. CWU advanced to the NAIA Tournament his first two seasons, reaching the quarterfinal round both years. In 1998-99, Central was 24-5 and earned the No. 1 ranking in the NCAA Division II West Region.
Burns coordinated Central’s defense, and in all three seasons the Wildcats led the conference in turnovers forced and in turnover margin. During the 1997-98 season, he also served as an assistant women’s coach under Jeff Whitney.
A native of Tacoma, Burns spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Highline Community College in Des Moines, Wash., and, during the 1995-96 season, he served as co-head coach of his alma mater, Tyee High School. Tyee was 7-11 after having won just four games in the previous three years.
Burns received his bachelor’s degree in health and athletic management from CWU in 1997.
