Sean Burdette begins his third year as head coach of the Bradley volleyball program after leading the Braves to improved records in each of his first two seasons on The Hilltop. The seventh head coach in program history, Burdette was named head coach in January 2008 and has led the team to an improved record in back-to-back years for the first time since the 1993 and 1994 seasons.
In addition to welcoming a nationally recognized recruiting class for 2010, Bradley returns nine letterwinners (including four starters) from last year's squad which posted the most wins by a BU team since finishing the 2005 season with a 16-17 overall record. The Braves roster features five of the top six individuals in kills and nearly 80% of the team's digs from last fall.
Inheriting a roster which featured five upperclassmen and had finished the 2007 season with a 3-28 record, Burdette led the 2008 squad to a 6-26 overall record and tie for ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference standings in his first season on the Braves' bench. Bradley ended the season on a high note, defeating NCAA Tournament participant Missouri State in the final home match of the season.
Burdette's second year got off to a strong start as the team opened the season with an 8-4 record and finished the 2009 season with a 9-23 record. Bradley's 19 home matches in 2009 tied for the second most in the country behind national power Hawaii.
The 2010 team might be playing in their fourth different home court over the last four seasons, but will make their debut in their new permanent home on Aug. 27 when the Braves open the season against in-state foe Western Illinois as part of the Hotels at Grand Prairie Invitational.
A longtime assistant coach, Burdette came to The Hilltop after spending the previous five seasons as an assistant coach at Ohio State, where he helped the Buckeyes to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in addition to national rankings in three of his five seasons at the Columbus, Ohio, school.
A 1997 graduate of Ohio Dominican and native of Silver Spring, Md., Burdette helped Ohio State to a 101-54 (.652) overall record and 56-44 (.560) Big Ten mark. The Buckeyes camps coordinator, he was also the main recruiter for Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania and the Eastern part of the United States.
Ohio State posted a 30-4 overall record and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in 2004 after finishing second in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes were ranked sixth in the final AVCA Coaches Poll of 2004 and followed that up with a 22-9 overall record and second round NCAA Tournament appearance in addition to a third place Big Ten finish in 2005.
Burdette helped Ohio State to a 25-8 overall record and fourth place finish in the Big Ten, while advancing to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes finished the 2005 and 2006 seasons ranked 23rd and 16th, respectively, in the final AVCA poll.
Burdette helped lure three top-20 recruiting classes according to prepvolleyball.com, including the fourth ranked recruiting class in the nation in 2004. During his time in Columbus, Ohio, he helped train the AVCA National Co-Player of the Year in Stacey Gordon. Burdette also coached seven AVCA All-Americans, one Big Ten Player of the Year, eight All-Big Ten First-Team selections and three All-Big Ten Freshman honorees.
In the classroom the Buckeyes boasted 23 Academic All-Big Ten Student-Athletes in addition to an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American and two Academic All-District selections over the last five seasons.
Prior to joining the Ohio State coaching staff, Burdette was Associate Head Coach at Towson University from 2000 through the 2003 season. The Tigers won the 2001 America East Conference regular-season title, finishing the season with a 28-4 record and boasting the highest season winning percentage in school history. Towson went on to post a 23-10 record in Burdette's final season, marking the first back-to-back 20-win seasons in program history since the 1989 and 1990 seasons.
After graduating from Ohio Dominican University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art and Visual Communications, Burdette was an assistant coach at Pittsburgh for three seasons. He served as the recruiting coordinator for his final two seasons at Pitt, where he helped the Panthers to two Big East Tournament appearances.
While completing work toward his degree, Burdette spent one season as a volunteer assistant coach with the women's volleyball team at Ohio State during the 1996 season. The Buckeyes finished with a 27-6 record and finished third in the Big Ten en route to a NCAA Regional Semi-Finalist appearance.
Burdette also served as head coach for the women's collegiate club team at Ohio State from 1995-97, where led his squad to a semifinal finish in the 1997 National Collegiate Club Volleyball Championship. He also spent two seasons as the head coach for the men's club team at Ohio State, guiding his squads to consecutive "Sweet Sixteen" finishes in the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association Volleyball Championships.
He ventured into coaching at the high school level at Bexley High School in Columbus, Ohio, where he was freshman and junior varsity head coach in addition to assistant varsity coach from 1993-95.
A member of the Ohio State men's club team for four years, Burdette was team captain his final season. He helped the Buckeyes to a No. 2 national ranking, a MIVA Championship and Big Ten title in 1993.
Burdette is married to the former Jacqueline Bunting. The couple has three daughters: Brinley Mae, Carlyn Grace and Chase Olivia and reside in Dunlap, Ill.