Rob Burke enters his fifth season at the helm of the men’s basketball program and his alma mater. Burke was announced as the fifth head coach in program history in May of 2021.
In the 2024-25 season, Burke led that Hawks to an 18-10 overall record and a 14-6 record in league play. This year marked a another historic season for the Hawks as many players made major accomplishments. Daylan Askew led the conference in scoring averaging 22.2 points per game, ranking 12th nationally in NCAA Division II. He became Chowan's Division II all-time leading scorer, also collecting the first Conference Carolinas Player of the Year honor in program history. Askew was also named to the D2CCA Southeast All-Region First Team and the NABC Southeast All-District First Team, confirming his place among the region's top players. Additionally, Cheick Traore would finish the season with 802 career rebounds and be recognized on the Conference Carolinas All-Defensive team. RJ Wilson and Aaron Ross, would also both go on to earn their 1000th career point this season. The Hawks made their second consecutive appearance in the Atlantic Casualty Conference Carolinas Men's Basketball Championship since Burke's lead, advancing to the semifinals. The Hawks would end the season placing 14 players on Conference Carolinas Presidential Spring Honor Roll.
During the 2023-24 season, Burke led the Hawks to a 20-9 overall record and a 13-5 record in league play. For the first time in 32 years, Chowan Basketball has achieved the milestone of winning 20 games in a single season, a feat unmatched in the four-year era. With a 10-3 record on the road, the Hawks boasted one of the top five road records in the country. Chowan secured a trip to the Atlantic Casualty Conference Carolinas Men's Basketball Championship advancing to the semifinals. The first since Burkes lead. At the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, Chowan earned four Conference Carolinas accolades as Burke was named the Conference Carolina's Men's Basketball Coach of the Year.
During the 2022-23 season, Burke led the Hawks to a 14-12 overall record and a 12-8 record in league play. It was the first winning season for the Hawks since 2016-17, along with the most league wins in Conference Carolinas action. Chowan secured their second straight trip and first time hosting in the Conference Carolinas Tournament.
Burke, a 1999 Chowan graduate, returns home, this time on the sidelines. Burke played for his father, legendary Chowan head coach Bob Burke, from 1995-1999, where he ranks in the top-10 in Chowan’s Division III program history in three point field goals made, assists, and points.
In his first season with the Hawks, Burke posted an 8-18 overall record and 8-15 in Conference Carolinas play. Burke guided the team to his first victory against King on December 18, 2021. The Blue and White would earn an 83-79 victory over regionally-ranked Lees-McRae that season.
Prior to coming back to Chowan, Burke was the assistant men’s basketball coach at Division III Colorado College for one season under Coach Conarroe.
Burke spent four seasons at UNC Wilmington climbing the ranks within the program starting as the director of basketball operations in 2017 before being promoted to assistant coach during the 2018-19 campaign, and later served as the interim head coach for the latter half of the 2019-20 season. Burke would go 5-8 as the interim while helping Shykeim Phillips to an All-CAA Rookie Team selection.
Prior to arriving in Wilmington, Burke served as the director of basketball operations at Georgia Southern for two seasons where he helped groom Tookie Brown to be named Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year and subsequently go on to be GSU’s all-time leading scorer.
Burke would spend five seasons as an assistant coach at The Citadel, where he helped recruit a pair of 1,000 point scorers.
Before moving up the ranks in the Division I level, Burke spent six seasons (2004-10) at NJCAA Spartanburg Methodist, where he guided the Pioneers to a 112-67 overall record, averaging 19 wins a season. Burke was named Region X Coach of the Year in 2008-09 and sent 32 players to Division I and II.
Burke spent the 2008 summer as a pro staff skill development trainer for the Nike Regional Skills Academy.
Prior to become a head coach, Burke spent two seasons at Campbell (2002-04) as an assistant coach and two seasons at Limestone (2000-02).
Burke was a four-year member of the then, Chowan College, where he ranks in the top-10 in program history in made three-point field goals and in assists. Burke graduated from Chowan in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management and a minor in Business Administration.
He and his wife, Neily, have two daughters, Mina and Marissa.
