Lander Basketball 1 - Lander University

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Burkhamer earned his bachelor’s degree in 1984 and his
master’s degree from Morehead
State in 1989. He was a fouryear
letterman for the Battlers
in basketball and baseball and
holds the school’s all-time assist
mark with 646. He was inducted
into the Battler Hall of Fame in
2001. He was honored by the
Parkersburg News and Sentinel in
2004 as a member of their Silver
2006 Atlanta Tip-Off Club Anniversary team, which included
Naismith Awards Georgia the top high school players for the
Collegiate Coach of the Year. past 25 years in the Parkersburg,
W.V., area.
Burkhamer and his wife, Diane, have two daughters, Melissa,
a Lander junior, and Lindsey, a sophomore at Greenwood High
School.
What were the most important factors in your decision to become
the head basketball coach at Lander?
The people, the support and the caring that goes into having
a successful program. I felt that our president, Dr. Ball, and our
athletic director, Jeff May, were the type of people that I wanted
to work for and their vision for Lander basketball was similar
to mine. I also felt they would support our quest for success and
would care about our program. There is a sincere desire to win at
Lander and to do things in a first-class manner. Our scholarship
packages, our all-you-can-eat cafeteria, our on-campus life in
the dorms, a beautiful arena, and a caring faculty and staff who
are willing to work with the student-athletes made my decision
easy. Plus, Greenwood is a great place to live and raise a family.
I have been so impressed with the number of people who have
welcomed me and our family and who have offered assistance
in so many different ways. Lander and Greenwood must be a
great place to be because so many people go to school here and
then stay in the Greenwood community to live, work and raise a
family.
Why is Lander University such a special place to go to college
and to play basketball?
The people at Lander and in the Greenwood community are
friendly, supportive and caring. Academically, our players know
their professors and the professors know our players. Our players
can get one-on-one help and hands-on experience in state-ofthe-art
classroom settings at Lander. We have an outstanding
academic support system that is geared toward success in the
classroom. A college diploma is a valuable tool and you will be
marketable in the work world upon completion of your degree.
Lander is also a terrific place to play basketball because of the
philosophy of our basketball program. We want good people,
individuals who will work to get their degrees, and players who
will compete on the basketball court. We want the “total package”
at Lander and we want to give you more than just basketball.
Our goals are higher than 10 feet! We have all of the things
Coach Jeff Burkhamer
that a student-athlete needs to be successful at Lander.
What are some of the key ingredients in building and sustaining
a successful basketball program?
There are a number of factors that go into building and sustaining
a successful basketball program. I believe you must have the
support of the administration and they must feel that athletics are
an integral part of the campus community. Next, I think you must
have tremendous people around you – assistant coaches, managers
and trainers, as well as other support personnel. But, the
most important group is PLAYERS! You must have good players
to have a chance to be a good team. We must do a great job of
recruiting players who can compete in the Peach Belt Conference
and at the NCAA Division II national level. We want good people
who are responsible off the court and in the classroom. On the
court, we will recruit players who have basketball skills, work
ethic and toughness, and a love, passion and desire for competition.
What They’re Saying About Coach Burkhamer. . .
“I have known Jeff Burkhamer for a long time. He gets the very
best out of his players. He has an outstanding work ethic, is a
great communicator and is a terrific teacher of the game. Jeff
Burkhamer will have Lander competing for PBC titles.”
--Tubby Smith, University of Minnesota Head Basketball Coach
“Coach Burkhamer was instrumental in my development as a
player. His attention to detail in my individual workouts helped
raise my skill level to new heights each year. Coach B. pushed
me every day to become a better player, a better student and a
better person. He helped prepare me for life in the NBA.”
--Pro Player Tamar Slay, Former Player
“Coach Burkhamer will create a winner at Lander. He will recruit
good players and good people and will instill a winning attitude
into his program. He will inspire and demand that players give
100 percent on and off the court. Coach B. will prepare his players
for the “Game of Life.” He made me a better player and a
better person and I am proud to have played for him.”
--William Kane, Former Player
“I played for Coach B. and worked as an assistant coach for him
for many years. He is going to get the best out of his players – on
and off the court. He creates a standard of excellence and challenges
each player to set high goals on the court and in life. He
is an excellent teacher of the game and is a very good person.
Lander is fortunate to have him leading their program back to the
top of the PBC.”
Steve Franklin, Former Assistant Coach/Player
“Coach Burkhamer is an excellent communicator and basketball
strategist. He coached me during the most productive phase of
my career. Coach Burkhamer is not only a former coach, but
someone who I’m proud to call a FRIEND.”
Gerald Madkins, New Orleans Hornets VP of Player Personnel,
former CBA Rookie of the Year/Player for Grand Rapids
Lander Basketball 9