Becky Burke departs Buffalo for Arizona women's basketball job
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — After cutting down the nets at the end of University at Buffalo's winningest women's basketball season, Becky Burke is leaving for greener pastures in the desert.
Burke was named the new coach at University of Arizona on Wednesday, three days after coaching UB to a school record 30th victory in the WNIT championship game at a sold-out Alumni Arena.
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'My three years in Buffalo have been an absolutely incredible experience,' Burke stated in a news release. 'I'm so thankful to have been able to coach so many amazing young women and work at such a prestigious University. I will forever be grateful to Mark Alnutt for trusting me to lead this program and for giving me this opportunity. The support from the community and the City of Buffalo has been absolutely unbelievable throughout my three years here. I'm proud of what we were able to accomplish during my time, and excited for the future of UB women's basketball.'
Buffalo wins WNIT championship in front of sellout crowd
Athletic director Mark Alnutt said UB will conduct a national search for Burke's replacement. UB's associate women's basketball coach for the past two seasons, Jacey Brooks was introduced this week as head coach at Northern Illinois University.
Given our recent success and the resources that we put into our women's basketball program, this will be a very attractive job.,' Alnutt stated in the news release.
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Burke, a former University of Louisville player who previously coached at University of South Carolina Upstate, went 61-37 and reached the Mid-American Conference championship game once in three seasons at UB after replacing Felicia Legette-Jack, who led the Bulls to three NCAA tournaments before leaving to coach her alma mater Syracuse University.
'I am very appreciative of the job that Becky Burke has done to elevate our women's basketball program to championship heights,' Alnutt said. 'Becky's hard work and dedication to our program helped position her for this next opportunity. From record wins on the court to record crowds in the stands, she left her mark at UB and in the Western New York community. I'm genuinely excited for Becky and her family in this next chapter.'
Love and Basketball: Emotional journey leads UB Becky Burke and her wife into parenthood
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.
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