Willie Jenkins and Elijah Burns have been added to the UAlbany Men’s Basketball staff. Jenkins was the associate head coach at Lehigh last season, while Burns was an assistant at LeMoyne.
Jenkins comes to UAlbany from Lehigh University, having previously spent the past four seasons on the staff at Lehigh University as an assistant coach in 2021-2022, before being promoted to associate head coach before the 2022-2023 season.
While on staff at Lehigh, Jenkins helped the Mountain Hawks earn their best Patriot League Tournament run, over the past four years, which came in 2023-24, when as the No.6 seed, Lehigh upset No. 3 seed Lafayette and No. 2 Seed Boston University, before falling to No. 1 seed Colgate in the championship game.
On the court, Jenkins helped with coaching rebounds and assisted with all areas of the game, while coaching forwards and centers for three years. He also worked with guards every season at Lehigh, along with overseeing substituting players during games to achieve the best possible player matchups.
For Patriot League honors, Jenkins has coached two First-Team, three Second-Team, four Third-Team, and three All-Rookie Patriot League selections.
Off the court with the Riverhawks, Jenkins was tasked with recruiting high-skill and high-character players from the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia (DMV) region, along with the Southeast region. Overseeing the team’s academic performance, in 2024, the program achieved the top team GPA and focused on the team’s attendance in community service.
“I’m fired up to join the UAlbany coaching staff and this incredible community,” said Coach Jenkins. “I’m looking forward to growing, giving back, and helping our young men chase their greatness, because they are more than just athletes, they’re leaders and world changers. Let’s win the day the Great Dane way.”
A Former Tennessee Tech and Ohio Valley Conference standout from 2002-2005 with the Golden Eagles, Jenkins was named OVC Player of the Year in his senior season of 2004-05 along with being named an honorable mention All-American, scoring 546 points for a 19.5 scoring average (along with 7.2 rebounds per game). He was inducted into Tennessee Tech’s Hall of Fame in 2015.
Before Tennessee Tech, Jenkins spent two seasons alongside Killings at UMass, where the duo came into the program as freshmen together.
He recieved his degree in Interdisciplinary studies from UMass in 2002, and his Bachelor’s of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Tennessee Technological University in 2005.
Head Coach Dwayne Killings on Jenkins:
“We are thrilled to add someone with Willie’s maturity and experience level to our program. Willie has built an extremely successful and diverse career. Having been a head coach and high school coach in Memphis, TN, coaching recent Marquette graduate and second-round NBA draft pick Kam Jones, and most recently serving as associate head coach at Lehigh University. The Tenn Tech Hall of Famer will be a welcome mentor, developer, and coach of our young men, and we are better for it.”
A Troy, N.Y. native, during his time with the Dolphins, Burns helped strategize and direct offensive plans for practice and games, per scouting reports. Additionally, he implemented player development sessions that helped improve individual and overall team performance while guiding the Dolphins to the number one scoring offense in the NEC. His day-to-day responsibilities also saw him tasked with assisting on the court with in-game management of substitutions and offensive adjustments, while off the court, he focused on recruiting efforts for prospective student athletes.
Before Le Moyne, Burns spent the 2023-24 season as an assistant coach with the College of Saint Rose under legendary head coach Brian Beaury. There, he developed practice plans and schedules, workouts, and scouting reports while leading daily film meetings of game analysis and practice film as well as helping to create the team’s offensive playbook and defensive coverages.
A former member of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, as a forward from 2015-2018, Burns appeared in 44 games scoring 98 points, shooting 28-68 (.411%) from the field and 2-6 (.333%) from the three-point line while grabbing 91 rebounds, 10 assists, eight steals and five blocks.
Transferring back home to the Capital Region for his graduate degree to play for the Siena Saints, Burns had a career year in 2019-20, winning the Wallas Award as the Nation’s Top Transfer and Second Team All-MAAC selection. Named as a team captain for the Saints, he saw action in 29 games, averaging 25.9 minutes, 14.38 points, and 5.79 rebounds per game. He finished the season with a total of 417 points, shooting 140-225 (.622%) from the field and 15-18 (.536%) from three-point range, while knocking down 122-142 (.859%) of free throws, while grabbing 168 rebounds, 25 assists, 17 steals and six blocks.
“I am excited to join an incredible coaching staff and get to work. I am looking forward to pouring into our players, pushing toward excellence, and chasing greatness together.”
Burns earned his Bachelor of Arts and Letters in Psychology, College of Arts and Letters from the University of Notre Dame in 2018. He is currently Masters Degree in Business Administration from Siena University.
Head Coach Dwayne Killings on Burns:
“I am excited to welcome Elijah back home to the Capital Region. Elijah has so much talent and ability to not just teach, but also to help run the day-to-day of our program. In his short time at UAlbany, everyone who has met him has been impressed, as Elijah is a true professional. His work ethic and consistency will help us get our program to the next level.”
