Utah Valley University head men’s basketball coach Mark Pope announced on Wednesday the hiring of Chris Burgess as an assistant coach. Burgess joins Cody Fueger as new members of the Wolverines staff.
“Chris is a great addition to my staff,” said Pope. “Not only has he excelled as a player, but has also proven his skill, acumen, and dedication as a coach. He is an energetic teacher and a smart basketball tactician. He has proven his ability to build strong and lasting relationships with players, recruits, and colleagues. Chris will be an incredible asset to Utah Valley and is destined to be a star in this business.”
Burgess, 36, comes to Utah Valley after working as an assistant coach at Indian Hills Community College where he helped the Warriors to a 29-5 record last season and a trip to the NJCAA National Tournament in Kansas.
“I am excited to be part of this new era of UVU basketball,” said Burgess. “Coach Pope brings a level of excitement to this program that is tangible. I’ve been impressed with everyone that I’ve met here on campus, as well as the facilities available to our team. I look forward to competing in the WAC and helping our players reach their potential, and win for the Wolverine faithful.”
A native of Irvine, Calif., Burgess played collegiately for legendary coaches Mike Krzyzewski and Rick Majerus before embarking on an 11-year professional career oversees. He played at Duke for two seasons (1997-99), helping the Blue Devils to the Elite Eight and the NCAA Championship game before transferring to Utah (2000-02), where he concluded his college career as a member of Majerus’ squad.
Burgess served as an undergraduate assistant coach at Utah while finishing his degree in speech communications. He also served as an assistant coach at Salt Lake Community College before becoming an assistant at Indian Hills.
The newest UVU coach began his pro hoops journey in Turkey in 2003 and also had stops in Australia, Philippines, South Korea, Puerto Rico, Ukraine, Poland and the United Erab Emirates.
Burgess and his wife Lesa have five children: daugters K.J., Zoey and Ava, and sons Beckham and Zachary.
http://wolverinegreen.com/news/2015/4/29/MBB_0429152635.aspx
