Hall of Fame
When Dave Burgess arrived on campus in the fall of 1983 he was considered a “big time” catch for Chowan and Coach Bob Burke. Along with several other Chowan Hall of Fame members,” Big Dave” helped to put Chowan in the national limelight. The 6-8, 230 pound Baltimore native established himself as one of the premier big men in junior college basketball and helped Chowan to its finest hour as the Braves advanced to the NJCAA Final Four in Hutchinson, Kansas. “Big Dave” received All-Conference and All-Region X honors after averaging 12 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He also was sure handed in the paint averaging 55% from the floor. During his two-year stint with the Braves the team went 54-13, including a record-setting 30 win season in 1984. “Dave Burgess was the most highly recruited player we ever had at Chowan. Over 88 major colleges and universities sought Dave’s talent. He truly helped to put us on the map as a Junior College National power,” says Burgess' former, Coach Bob Burke.
After Chowan, Burgess chose to further his future at Virginia Tech, which helped the Hokies to a NCAA bid in 1986. His blue collar approach to rebounding and tough interior defense were key components to the Hokies success under Head Coach Charlie Moir. In his 1984-85 season, Burgess averaged 2.9 points per game and 1.8 rebounds per game. He appeared in 20 games for the Hokies that season. In his senior season in 1985-86, Burgess averaged 5.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
Burgess went on to work for the Baltimore City Department of Water Works. He and his wife, Lynne, have two-children, Ciara and David Jr. Dave and his family reside in the Baltimore area.
