Bruce Hamburger has joined the Columbia men’s basketball program as an assistant coach, Lions’ head coach Jim Engles announced today. Hamburger brings over 35 years of experience and has reached 12 NCAA Tournaments in his previous spots. He joins Columbia after spending eight seasons as associate head coach at Fairleigh Dickinson.
“Bruce’s resume speaks for itself,” Engles said. “He’s reached the NCAA Tournament every place he’s coached at the collegiate level and those experiences, as well as his knowledge, are going to be great to share with our program. Bruce is a great teacher of the game and all-around good person. We’re really excited to welcome him to Columbia.”
The Knights qualified for the NEC Tournament in six seasons with Hamburger on the staff and won the NEC Championship twice. The 2019 campaign was a historic one for FDU as they captured both the NEC Championship and an NEC regular season title, while earning the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament game victory — a six-point triumph over Prairie View A&M.
During the 2019-20 season, the Knights finished fifth in the conference and had three members of the team earn NEC yearly recognition. Jahlil Jenkins (Second Team All-NEC), Kaleb Bishop (Third Team All-NEC), and Devon Dunn (NEC All-Rookie Team).
In 2015-16, Hamburger helped guide the Knights to a 10-win turnaround as the team earned an NEC Championship and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005.
Hamburger enjoyed a three-year stint with Saint Peter’s from 2010-2013. While there, the Peacocks made the NCAA Tournament during his first year (2010-11).
Prior to working at Saint Peter’s, Hamburger was an assistant coach at Caldwell College, after spending two seasons as an assistant coach for the New York Liberty of the WNBA.
Additionally, he served as the head coach at Kean University for 11 years, where he is the all-time winningest coach. Hamburger coached his alma mater to four appearances in the ECAC Tournament, winning the ECAC title in 2005, and advanced to the finals again in 2006. He also led Kean to an appearance in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament in 2001.
Hamburger was an assistant coach at Seton Hall under P.J. Carlesimo for nine years, beginning in 1986. The Pirates won two Big East Tournament titles and made six appearances in the NCAA Tournament during his tenure, including the 1989 run to the NCAA championship game. The team was inducted into the Seton Hall Athletic Hall of Fame in June 2014.
Hamburger began his coaching career in 1984 at Trenton State, where he was an assistant coach under Kevin Bannon for two seasons. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Kean and a master’s in counselor preparation from Seton Hall.
https://gocolumbialions.com/news/2021/9/22/columbia-welcomes-bruce-hamburger-as-assistant-coach.aspx
