Robert Burlingham comes to McNeese after spending the previous two seasons on the staff at Central Michigan as a graduate assistant.
Burlingham's story is a feel-good one as he has advanced in his career from being a team manager to a Director of Operations on a Division I staff.
At Central Michigan, Burlingham worked for 2008 AP Coach of the Year Keno Davis where he assisted with player development, conducted scouting reports, assisted with academic advising and oversaw Adidas gear inventory. He also oversaw student managers, aided with player development of David DiLeo who is the MAC all-time leading 3-point scorer as well as CMU's all-time leading 3-point shooter.
Prior to CMU, Burlingham was on the staff at West Virginia Tech following a stint at Carolina Day School for both varsity and junior varsity teams. It was at WVU Tech where he was the top assistant and helped guide the Golden Bears to a 30-5 record, River States Conference regular season and conference tournament championship, and advancement to the NAIA National Tournament second round, the furthest any WVU Tech team has even advanced. Under Burlingham’s development with Head Coach Bob Williams, The Golden Bears had three All-Conference players named in the River States Conference during the 2018-2019 season. Guard Elisha Boone garnered River States Conference Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference. Guard Brandon Shingles received First Team All-Conference and Forward Tommy Collins received Second Team All-Conference. Boone received First Team NAIA Division II All-American status while Shingles received NAIA Division II All-American Honorable Mention status. As the top assistant, he was in charge of player development, scouting reports, oversaw academics and strength and conditioning, and was the recruiting coordinator.
The Golden Bears ranked #1 in total scoring offense, #2 in total assists, #2 in scoring offense per game (94.8 PPG), #3 in 3 Point Field Goal percentage (41.9%), #4 in 3 Point Field Goals made (404) and #5 in total rebounds per game (43.2 RPG). Under Burlingham’s development, Guard Elisha Boone was ranked #3 in NAIA Division II in defensive rebounds per game (8.6), #3 in total rebounds (387), #4 in rebounds per game (11.3). Guard Cole Schoolcraft was ranked #5 in NAIA Division II in Assist/Turnover Ratio (3.8). Guard Brandon Shingles was ranked #7 in total 3 Point Field Goals made (120) and #9 in 3 Point Field Goals made per game (3.5).
To kick off his coaching career, Burlingham began as a student manager under former head coach Nick McDevitt at UNC Asheville (2013-14) where he was in charge of film and day-to-day functions of the program while also assisting with player workouts, basketball operations and team inventory.
Burlingham then moved on to Western Carolina University where he worked under the late Ohio Hall of Fame coach Larry Hunter as a manager (2014-16). He assisted in post player development for practices and workouts, assisted with stats during game play, worked with film and distribution of film to opponents and the Southern Conference, assisted Director of Operations with functions of the program, assisted coaches in some scouting reports and assisted with travel logistics.
After the 2016 season, Burlingham returned to UNC Asheville as Assistant Director of Basketball Operations from spring until the end of the summer where he assisted with the daily functions of the program, prepared and organized summer camps, assisted with player workouts over the summer, assisted with travel reservations and logistics and organized film.
He also was an assistant coach at Spire Academy from August 2016 to January 2017 where he took care of scouting, film, workouts and travel logistics.
Robert is also a member of the Nations of Coaches and the Black Coaches Association.
A native of Asheville, North Carolina, he earned his B.S. in Business Administration from Western Carolina in 2016 and his M.S. in Administration from Central Michigan in 2021.
