BREVARD, N.C. - Throughout the Fall, the Brevard College Department of Athletics will be highlighting its staff members in a tri-weekly Staff Highlight Series, giving members of the Athletic Administration and Coaching Staff the opportunity to introduce themselves to the BC community through a series of questions and biographical elements.
Next up in BC's Staff Highlight Series is Brevard College Assistant AD/Head Men's Basketball Coach Lee Burgess, a former basketball student-athlete at Samford University.
bctornados.com: What has been your favorite professional memory?
Coach Burgess: Beating Wingate on the road to secure a spot in the SAC Tournament in the 2014-15 season.
bctornados.com: What makes Brevard College a special place?
Coach Burgess: Brevard College is a special place because of all the great people to work with.
bctornados.com: Who has been the biggest influence in your professional career?
Coach Burgess: Jimmy Tillette (former head coach at Samford) - I played for him for three years and coached for him for nine years.
bctornados.com: What is some advice you would give to young people looking to get into the profession?
Coach Burgess: Get into the business because you love helping young adults develop as players and people.
Coach Burgess celebrates with his team during a victory at the Boshamer Gymnasium in 2020.
In his first season with BC, Burgess coached Manzey Miller to a spot on the South Atlantic Conference All-Freshman Team, then saw Trevon Shaw earn the same honor one year later. After two difficult seasons to begin his tenure in Brevard, the Tornados broke through during his third season at the helm. Brevard finished the regular season at 12-16 with a 10-12 mark in conference play, earning a trip to the conference tournament for the first time in four years. The Tornados had to win a pair of road games in a span of 44 hours to clinch a bid, knocking off Mars Hill in triple overtime before erasing a 15-point second-half deficit at Wingate, closing the game on a 23-8 run over the final 5:45 to earn a two-point victory.
Burgess presided over the first televised game in school history during his second season as the Tornados defeated Tusculum 101-90 in Brevard. The team played two televised games during the 2014-2015 season inside Boshamer Gymnasium, defeating Lenoir-Rhyne 74-63 before falling to No. 5 Lincoln Memorial 87-75. He also began designating one game as a "Red Out" each season in memory of former Samford basketball player Jimmy Griffin, encouraging fans to wear red to raise awareness of heart health and donating proceeds to the Jimmy Griffin Legacy Foundation.
Burgess previously spent nine years as an assistant coach at Samford University, where his duties included scouting, on-court coaching, recruiting, travel, and film exchange.
During his time with the Bulldogs, Samford saw several milestones reached in the program, as the team led the Southern Conference in scoring defense (four times), three-point field goal percentage (three times), three-pointers made per game (four times) and overall field goal percentage (twice). Samford also recorded a winning record in league play four times and advanced to the conference semifinals three times, making it to the finals of the conference tournament in 2006.
While at Samford, Burgess was a member of the staff that coached three players to All-Conference honors, including a Conference Player of the Year and an AP All-America Honorable Mention. Burgess helped coach five of the top 20 scorers in Bulldogs' history, but more impressively, out of the players who have exhausted their eligibility at Samford, 24 of the 25 student-athletes went on to receive their degree.
In 2002-2003, Burgess served as the primary recruiting coordinator and assistant coach at Berry College. During his time with Berry, the team advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament, recording a 20-win season and a winning record in league play. He was also influential in the recruiting of Tramaine Aaron, one of the top 10 scorers in Berry men's basketball history.
Burgess began his coaching career after college as an assistant coach at Huntingdon College, where his responsibilities included recruiting, scouting, on-floor coaching, team travel and film exchange. He was a part of the rebuilding process for the Hawks, recruiting players who would average 18 wins a year over a span of three seasons, including Allen White, a player who would finish third all-time in the Hawks' scoring record book.
Burgess was a member of the Samford basketball team for four seasons (1996–2000) and competed for three seasons under the tutelage of Head Coach Jimmy Tillette. He was a member of Samford's NCAA Tournament teams in both 1998–99 and 1999–2000, and helped guide the team to a 78-39 overall record during his playing career.
Burgess and his wife, Dawn, have two sons, Lee IV and Wyatt and a daughter, Lacy.
'
Coach Burgess instructing his players while he was an Assistant Coach at Samford University.
2019-20: 7-18, 6-12 USAS
USA South All-Sportsmanship Team: Levi Lamb
2018-19: 5-20, 2-16 USAS
USA South All-Sportsmanship Team: Ke'Vel Kingsberry
2017-18: 4-18
USA South All-Sportsmanship Team: Stevie Williams
2016-17: 2-26, 0-22 SAC
2015-16: 6-22, 5-17 SAC
All-State Second Team: Demarcus Threatt
All-Conference Honorable Mention: Demarcus Threatt
Preseason All-Conference Second Team: Miles Leathers
2014-15: 12-17, 10-12 SAC
SAC Player of the Week: Trevon Shaw
2013-14: 4-22, 4-18 SAC
All-Freshman Team: Trevon Shaw
2012-13: 4-22, 3-15 SAC
All-Freshman Team: Manzey Miller
To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados' on YouTube, follow 'Brevard College Tornados' on SoundCloud, or like Brevard College Athletics on Facebook. Be sure to follow "brevardcollege" on Flickr for the latest photos from all Brevard College events.
-BC-