| Bruce Burnett |
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 | Position:
Head Coach
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| Experience:
Ninth Year
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| Alma Mater:
Idaho State '73
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Bruce Burnett embarks on his ninth season as the head coach of the Navy wrestling program after leading the Midshipmen to back-to-back 18th-place finishes at the NCAA Championship in 2007 and `08. After orchestrating 10-win dual marks in six of the last seven seasons (only 10 duals wrestled in 2008), Burnett has bulked up the schedule for 2009 which will include at a minimum 13 dual dates, including home bouts against American, Lehigh, East Stroudsburg and Rutgers.
Last season Burnett's Midshipmen had their share of ups and downs. While Navy battled injuries, Burnett's goal year after year is to build up to the conference championship and put his wrestlers atop the All-America stand at the National Championship. Navy weathered some stormy matches, but enjoyed a solid month of February leading into the two most important weeks of the year. Navy opened the month with a second-place finish at the All-Academy Championship where eight wrestlers placed including All-American Matt Stolpinski (174) who became the first Navy wrestler to capture an individual title all four years. After a two-week layoff, the Mids turned in a pair of dual wins, including pushing their winning streak to eight in a row against arch rival Army in the annual Star Match. The Mids, once again had the odds stacked against them as two wrestlers failed to make weight. As usual, though, Burnett had Navy well prepared as it was able to contain the Black Knights and captured a 22-12 win.
Burnett guided Navy to a fourth-place finish at the EIWA Championship, as seven wrestlers placed and three claimed individual titles. Junior Joe Baker became a first-time winner at 133 pounds, while seniors Matt Stolpinski and Ed Prendergast were able to win back-to-back titles at 174 pounds and heavyweight, respectively. Rookie Bryce Saddoris (149) and senior Spencer Manley (157) both placed third in their respective weight classes to earn a berth into the NCAA Championship, along with Baker, Stolpinski and Prendergast. For the first time since 1967, Navy produced three All-Americans with Prendergast placing third, Stolpinski seventh and Baker eighth. Prendergast's third-place finish is the highest by a Navy wrestler since 1990 when Scott Schleicher placed second at 158 pounds. Meanwhile, Stolpinski grabbed his second All-America title to become the second wrestler under Burnett's watch to earn All-America recognition twice.
Navy turned in an 11-4 record in 2006-07, including a flawless 7-0 mark in EIWA competition. Along the way, the Mids captured wins over EIWA foes Lehigh, American and Bucknell, while also tournament titles at the All-Academy Championship and the Navy Classic. Additionally, Navy won eight of the 10 matches against Army to push the Mids' winning streak to seven in a row against the Black Knights. The Army win helped propel Navy into the EIWA Championship where the Mids finished second. It was the highest Navy had finished at the conference tournament since placing second in 1993-94. Meanwhile, juniors Matt Stolpinski (174) and Ed Prendergast (HWT) also stood atop the podium as the champion in their respective weight classes.
The year was capped off by sending six wrestlers to the NCAA Championship where Stolpinski became Navy's first All-American since Frank Edwards in 2002-03 with his fourth-place finish. Navy's 18th-place finish at the national tournament was its highest since Reg Wicks led the Mids to a 13th-place finish in 1989-90.
In 2005-06, Navy won 13 of its 15 duals, the most wins by a Navy team during his tenure. Five Midshipmen qualified for the NCAA Championship, where Navy placed 34th.
The 2004-05 edition of the Navy wrestling team was among the best in school history. Navy posted a 12-3 record, suffering its three losses at the hands of top 10-ranked foes Oklahoma, Nebraska and Lehigh. Navy finished third at the EIWA Championship and sent six wrestlers to the NCAA Tournament, the most since 1991. Navy also claimed the top spot in the Navy Classic (first time since 1997) and placed third at the highly-competitive Southern Scuffle.
In 2003-04, Burnett led the Mids to a 12-4 overall mark. Navy placed sixth in the EIWA Tournament, its third top-six finish in four years under Burnett.
Frank Edwards placed seventh at the 2003 NCAA Championship to garner All-America recognition as a junior. Edwards, who was Navy's lone qualifier that season, captured three of his five-NCAA victories by three points or less. Meanwhile, the Midshipmen turned in an 11-6 dual mark for the second straight season.
In Burnett's first season at the Academy, he helped guide Mark Conley to a fifth-place finish in the 141-pound weight class at the 2001 NCAA Championship and garner All-America honors. Conley, who won the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championship at 141 pounds two-straight seasons, battled to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championship in 2002. He was ranked No. 1 in the country for most of the season and was the first Navy wrestler to achieve All-America status since Greg Gingeleskie placed seventh at the 1998 NCAA Championship. Conley's fifth-place finish at the 2001 NCAA Championship was the highest for a Navy wrestler since 1994 when Dan Hicks placed fifth in the heavyweight division.
Burnett came to Annapolis fresh off a coaching stint in Sydney, Australia, where he served as the United States Olympic Freestyle Coach at the 2000 Olympic Games. His athletes captured one gold, two silver and two bronze medals.
Burnett has helped prepare the United States' elite athletes for world and Olympic competition as the national freestyle coach since 1992. His resume is nothing short of impressive. His teams won five medals at the 1996 Olympic Games (three gold, one silver and one bronze) and eight medals at the 1999 Pan American Games (six gold, one silver and one bronze). His teams captured World Team Titles in 1993 and 1995, the World Cup of Wrestling in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 and the Pan American Championship in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996.
During that time, Burnett coached Kurt Angle, Tom Brands, Kendal Cross, Kevin Jackson, Brandon Slay and John Smith to Olympic gold medals, while cornering Terry Brands, Tom Brands, Angle, Jackson and Smith to World Championships.
He was named the Freestyle Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1996 and was named the United States Olympic Committee Elite Coach of the Year in 1996. He has been named a finalist for the 2004 Olympic Freestyle Staff.
At the conclusion of Navy's 2001-02 season, Burnett served as the head coach of the United States World Cup Team at the 2002 Freestyle World Cup of Wrestling Championship in Spokane, Wash.
Before taking over as head coach of the freestyle team, Burnett was the Associate Director of Programs and National Development Coach for USA Wrestling for three years. Burnett developed a national technique and training syllabus and was responsible for the United States age group world teams. During his time as the developmental coach, the age group teams won a total of 42 medals, an increase of 82 percent over the previous four years. Burnett also served on the 1992 Olympic Freestyle and Greco-Roman coaching staffs.
Burnett was an assistant coach at Oklahoma State from 1987-90 and in his four years with the Cowboys, OSU won two NCAA team titles, three Big Eight Conference titles and two National Dual Meet team titles.
Burnett got his coaching career started at Meridian High School in Meridian, Idaho, where he was the head coach from 1974-87. In his 14 years, Burnett had a stout record of 154-13-2 (.917). His teams won nine conference, six district and four state championships. Burnett built such a solid program at Meridian that his program grew from 23 wrestlers his first year to 119 his last season. He was named Idaho Coach of the Year six times.
Burnett is a 1973 graduate of Idaho State, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary education.
Burnett and his wife, Karen, live in Annapolis, Md.
Burnett's Coaching Highlights
• Coached 26 NCAA Championship qualifiers and produced seven All-Americans at Navy.
• Led Navy to its highest NCAA finish (18th in 2007 and `08) since placing 13th in 1990.
• Coached Navy's first trio of All-Americans (Baker, Stolpkinski, Prendergast) since 1967.
• Led Navy to its highest EIWA finish (2nd in 2007) since 1994 when the Mids also placed second.
• Coached Mark Conley (2001-02), Matt Stolpinski (2006-07) and Ed Prendergast (2006-07) to back-to-back EIWA Championship titles.
• Helped mold Matt Stolpinski (`08) into Navy's winningest wrestler who captured 141 wins and twice won 40-plus matches in a season.
• Coached two different wrestlers to three All-American certificates (at Oklahoma St.).
• Led U.S. to five medals at the 1996 Olympic Games (3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze).
• Led U.S. to five medals at the 2000 Olympic Games (1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze).
• Led U.S. to eight medals at the 1999 Pan American Games.
• Led U.S. to World Team titles in 1993 and `95.
• Led U.S. to World Cup of Wrestling seven times (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000).
• Led U.S. to Pan American Championship four times (1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996).
Honors/Awards
• 1995, `96 Freestyle Wrestling Coach of the Year
• 1996 United States Olympic Committee Elite Coach of the Year
• Six-time Idaho High School Coach of the Year
Coaching Timeline
• 1974-87 Meridian High School, Head Coach
• 1987-90 Oklahoma State, Asst. Coach
• 1992-00 U.S. National Freestyle Head Coach
• 1992 U.S. Olympic Team (Freestyle & Greco-Roman), Asst. Coach
• 1996 U.S. Olympic Freestyle, Head Coach
• 2000 U.S. Olympic Freestyle, Head Coach
• 2001-Present Navy, Head Coach
• 2005 U.S. World University Games Head Coach
