Edward Burke (basketball)-cn.cruzcal.org

Edward J. Burke (December 4, 1945-March 23, 2009) was an American college basketball coach who led the Drexel Dragons men’s basketball program from 1977 to 1991.

Early life and high school

Burke was born in 1945 and is the fourth of five children. He likes to say that he is the only one of his brothers and sisters who has not entered religious life. He participated in St. Joseph’s Prep, where he played point guard on their high school basketball team. Along with NBA player Matt Guokas, Burke was a member of the Philadelphia Catholic League championship team in 1962. The team lost to West Philadelphia High School 61-52 in the City Championship. In his senior year, Burke led the entire Catholic League in scoring.

the University

Burke played for LaSalle University from 1963 to 1967. In his senior season, a serious knee injury ended his career.

Early coaching career

After graduating from La Salle, Burke got a job as a freshman coach at his alma mater St. Joseph’s Prep. He was quickly promoted to head coach and won the Catholic League Championship in 1971. The current coach of St. Joseph University, Phil Martelli, was a member of that team. He said that Burke “makes the coach personal. It’s about you as a person. He uses a lot of humor. He makes you want to practice, he makes you want to play.” The following year, Burke coached St. Thomas More High School and won the Catholic League Championship and the 1972 City Championship. For the second consecutive season, Burke won the title of Coach of the Year in the Catholic League. He is the only coach to accomplish this feat in two different high schools. St. Thomas More closed in 1975, and Burke came to Bishop McDevitt and the Western Catholic Church for a year.

Drexel

Drexel hired Burke as their new head coach in 1977. The top assistant coaches he served for several years in the 1980s were Villanova coach Jay Wright and former Bucknell coach Pat Flannery. His best season was in 1985-86, when the Dragons led by Michael Anderson won 19 games and defeated Hofstra in the East Coast League Championship. Thus won the opportunity to participate in the school’s first NCAA tournament. Drexel won a No. 15 seed and lost to eventual national champion Louisville 93-73 in the first round. After the season, he was named East Coast Coach of the Year, and Michael Anderson became the first Drexel player to enter the NBA. In 1987, the Dragons he coached were dissatisfied with the naval trainees led by David Robinson in Palestra.

Burke was released by Drexel on March 8, 1991. He ended his third consecutive season of defeat in the 12-16 season. According to Richard E. Woodring, vice president of student life at Drexel, as the school moved to the North Atlantic Conference in 1991-92, Drexel hoped to move in a “new direction.” He was replaced by George Washington assistant Bill Herion. In Burke’s 14 seasons, he set a record of 205-189. His 205 victories rank second among all Drexel coaches.

future life

After Drexel coached, Burke resumed teaching at St. Joseph’s Preparatory College, where he coached from 1992 to 1999. In 1999, he became the head of alumni relations at the school and held that position until 2004. After retiring, he began to redo his family’s Burke’s Inn restaurant in Havertown, Pennsylvania. He added the menu and turned the tavern into a sports bar.

death

In 2009, Burke was diagnosed with lung cancer. He was preparing for treatment and died in Havertown on March 23 at the age of 63. His wife, Bette Ann, survived; his children, Melissa, Maureen, and Brendan; and five grandchildren. Burke was buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeden.

Career coaching record

Edward J. Burke’s professional coaching record is as follows:

reference