Marc Burns was named head coach of the Bradley University men's and women's cross country and women's track and field teams July 1, 2010 and is in his fifth season with the Braves.
Burns, who boasts a total of 17 years of experience as a Division I head coach, came to The Hilltop after spending the previous four years at Valley rival Wichita State as men's and women's cross country head coach, while also serving as assistant coach for the Shockers men's and women's track and field teams.
This past year (2013-14), Bradley had one of its most successful seasons with sophomore Kristen Busch claiming both the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference 10,000 meter championship (outdoor) and 5,000 meter (indoor) championship. Busch, who ran in both the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters at the NCAA West Preliminary, finished 18th in the nation in the 10,000 meters and was the first Brave to compete at the NCAA Championship since 1998. In addition, Emily Delvo swept the 800 & 1,500 meter titles at the Valley’s Outdoor Championship to become just the fourth individual in league history to do so. Delvo also claimed the 800 meter title at the MVC Indoor Championship.
On the men’s side, juniors Eric Delvo and Chase Coffey were the first Bradley men to advance to the NCAA Regional since the mid 1970’s with both runner in the steeplechase at the NCAA West Prelim. The track success, which also included school record point totals for the Bradley women’s team at both the indoor and outdoor championships, came on the heels of a very successful cross country season.
The Braves produced three All-Valley runners, the MVC Freshman of the Year, two All-Region runners and the MVC Elite 18 Award winner on the women’s side in cross country. A second-place finish for the Bradley women was the team’s best since 2002. Delvo and Coffey were both all-conference performers for the men’s cross country squad, which also boasted the Valley’s Freshman of the Year, giving the Braves two All-MVC runners for the first time since 1987. They helped Bradley to its best Valley finish (4th) since 1989 and best NCAA Regional finish (13th) since 1996. Sarah McMahon also claimed the MVC Elite 18 Award at the 2014 Valley Indoor Championship, pushing her career total to three MVC Elite 18 Awards.
In his first season at Bradley (2010-11), senior Mary Goldkamp capped off her stellar career by setting five school records on the track in addition to earning all-conference honors in cross country, indoor track & field (mile) and outdoor track & field (800 & 1,500 meters). Bradley's 2011-12 Most Outstanding Female Athlete, Goldkamp competed in the 1,500 meters in the NCAA West Regional in Eugene, Ore., advancing to the regional finals.
The 2011-12 school year, saw the reinstatement of the men's outdoor track and field team after Bradley disbanded the team following the 1991-92 season. Freshman Sarah McMahon was a three-time all-conference performer on the women's side after third-place finishes in the 5,000 meters at both the MVC Indoor & Outdoor Championships in addition to a seventh-place finish at the MVC Cross Country championships.
The 2011-12 women's track and field team collected its highest point total at the Valley's outdoor championship since 2000, while the men's team competed in its first conference championship since 1992 and finished with its highest point total since 1986. At the MVC Indoor Championship, the women's team finished seventh and also had the squad's highest point total since 2000.
In 2012-13, the Bradley men’s cross country squad posted its best finish at the NCAA Regional since 2007 in addition to the men’s track and field team earning its highest point total at the MVC Outdoor Championship since 1987. On the women’s side, Sarah McMahon helped highlight another strong finish with all-conference honors in cross country in addition to garnering all-conference honors at both the indoor and outdoor conference track and field championships. McMahon qualified for the NCAA Track and Field West Regional in Austin, Texas, in the 10,000 meters during the outdoor season to cap the year.
Prior to Wichita State, Burns was head cross country and track and field coach at his alma mater, Loyola University in Chicago. During his 16-year head coaching career, he has coached three All-American runners, more than 80 conference individual champions, seven cross country conference team champions and three Academic All-Americans. His teams also have excelled in the classroom, garnering 25 national All-Academic honors.
The four-time MVC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year, Burns earned the honor in each of his four seasons with the Shockers and led the Wichita State women's cross country team to four consecutive Valley team titles. In addition to the team honors, Burns coached three All-America runners, 22 MVC individual cross country and track champions and 11 Valley Cross Country Scholar-Athletes. He also was named the 2009 USTFCCCA Midwest Region Women's Assistant Track and Field Coach of the Year.
A native of Wheeling, Ill., Burns was head cross country and track and field coach at Loyola for 10 years prior to taking over the Wichita State program. During his tenure with the Ramblers, he led the men's cross country team to its first-ever NCAA Championship berth in 2005 and guided teams to three Horizon League cross country team championships. His teams produced 49 All-Horizon League performers who combined for 53 individual cross country and track and field conference champions.
Burns' responsibilities at Loyola also included planning the annual Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Cross Country Invitational, which he grew into one of the premier events of the season and featured 70 intercollegiate teams in 2005.
A 1991 graduate of Loyola with a degree in business administration, he was a two-time All-American on the track for the Ramblers and clocked the third-fastest collegiate time in the nation in the indoor 3,000 meters in 1990. Burns was a three-time All-Midwestern College Conference cross country performer and two-time 5,000 meter indoor conference champion.
Burns is married to the former Alana Crisman, who is originally from Rushville, Ill. They have four sons: Connor, Brian, Sean and Cris.