April 8, 2005

SAN DIEGO -

Beth Burns, who guided San Diego State to four NCAA tournaments and was a three-time Western Athletic Conference coach of the year, is returning to Montezuma Mesa as the head women's basketball coach, athletic director Mike Bohn announced at a Friday afternoon campus news conference.

 

Burns served as San Diego State's head coach from 1989-90 through the 1996-1997 season and is the winningest coach in Aztec women's basketball history. She directed SDSU to four, 20-win seasons and four trips to the NCAA tournament.

 

"Beth is a proven winner, on and off the court," Bohn said. "She possesses a level of professionalism, along with a work ethic and passion, that transcends all facets of being an effective head coach."

 

"I am thrilled with the opportunity that has been given to me by President Weber, Sally Roush and Mike Bohn," Burns said. "I can't wait to get going and to re-connect with a community that I love."

 

The SDSU women's basketball program made an impressive turnaround during Burns' tenure, going from 7-23 her first year in 1989-90, to 23-7 in her final campaign of 1996-97. During her eight seasons, she compiled a 151-83 record and a program-best 64.5 winning percentage. The Aztecs went to the NCAA tournament on four occasions (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997) and advanced to the second round in 1994.

 

Burns' teams dominated the Western Athletic Conference from 1994-97, capturing a pair of tournament championships and three regular-season titles. The 1993-94 team set a school record for victories with 26, while the 1994-95 squad was a perfect 14-0 in league play. Her final two teams were 20-8 and 23-7, respectively. Her 1996-97 Aztec squad led the nation in team defense, allowing 51.7 points per game.

 

From 1991 to 1997, Burns coached 14 all-conference picks at SDSU, including three WAC players of the year, and from 1993 to 1997 nine of her players were WAC scholar athletes.

 

The postseason honors were not just limited to her players, as Burns was a three-time WAC coach of the year (1994, 1995, 1997) and was the district coach of the year in 1995. From 1997 to 2000, Burns was on the USA Olympic Team selection committee.

 

Burns departed San Diego State in 1997 to take the head women's basketball position at Ohio State, where she first started her collegiate coaching career as an assistant. In five seasons with the Buckeyes, Burns was 81-65 overall, highlighted by a WNIT title in 2001 and a trip to the NCAA tournament in 1999. While in Columbus, 39 of her players earned academic honors and eight of her players were named to the all-Big Ten first or second teams.

 

Most recently, Burns has been the strength and conditioning coach for the women's basketball program at Stanford (2004-05). The Cardinal finished the regular season ranked first in the nation, advanced to the Elite Eight and won the Pac-10 regular season and tournament titles.

 

Her collegiate coaching career began at Ohio State as a graduate assistant from 1979-81, under current Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer. She then spent two seasons as an assistant coach at East Carolina (1981-83), helping the Lady Pirates to a No. 17 national ranking, before moving to Colorado (1983-88) as an assistant under the recently retired Ceal Barry. Prior to taking her first head-coaching job at San Diego State, Burns was an assistant coach at North Carolina State when the Wolfpack advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1989.

 

Burns has a bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Ohio Wesleyan (1979), where she left as the school's all-time leading rebounder and is a member of the hall of fame. She has a master's degree in physical education from Ohio State (1981).

 

She replaces Jim Tomey, who resigned as San Diego State's head coach in March.

 

Beth Burns' Head Coaching Record

 

                              Overall                       Conference

Year                  W     L      Pct.              W      L       Pct.                         Postseason

San Diego State

1989-90                  7         23      .233                   6         12        .333 (Big West - 8^th)

1990-91                  14       14      .500                   6         6          .500 (WAC - 4^th)

1991-92                  18       11      .621                   9         5          .643 (WAC - 4^th)

1992-93                  19       9        .678                   9          5         .643 (WAC - t2nd)          NCAA First Round

1993-94                  26       5        .839                 13          1         .929 (WAC - 1^st)             NCAA Second Round

1994-95                  24       6        .800                 14          0       1.000 (WAC - 1^st)             NCAA First Round

1995-96                  20       8        .714                 9            5          .643 (WAC - 3^rd)                 

1996-97                 23       7         .767                 15          1          .938 (WAC - 1^st)            NCAA First Round

Totals              151     83    .645             81      35       .698

 

Ohio State

1997-98                15        12          .556             7          9             .438 (Big Ten - 8^th)

1998-99                17        12          .607              9          7             .692 (Big Ten - t4th)           NCAA First Round

1999-2000           13        15          .464              5          11           .313 (Big Ten - t8th)

2000-01                22        11         .667              6          10           .375 (Big Ten - 8^th)              WNIT Champion

2001-02                14        15         .483              8          8             .500 (Big Ten - t5th)          

Totals              81      65       .555          35      45        .438

Career            232    148     .611         116      80        .592                   Five NCAA Appearances

 

 

Burns' Head Coaching Career Highlights

- Five 20+ win seasons, including four straight at SDSU

- NCAA First Round (1999, 1997, 1995, 1994, 1993)

- NCAA Second Round (1994)

- 2001 WNIT Champion

- 1994, 1997 WAC Tournament Champions

- 1994, 1995, 1997 WAC Regular Season Champions

- 1994, 1995, 1997 WAC Coach of the Year

- 1995 CoSIDA District 7 Coach of the Year

 

2 - All-America Selections

3 - WAC Players of the Year

2 - WAC Tournament MVPs

1- Big Ten Freshman of the Year

13 - First Team All-Conference Selections at SDSU

14 - All-Big Ten selections (first and second teams)

7 - WAC All-Academic Selections

14 - Big Ten All-Academic Honorees

 

Other Career Highlights

- Ohio Wesleyan Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee

- USA Basketball Senior National Team Committee - Selected 2000 U.S. Olympic team

- 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival Head Coach - North team (bronze)