Chowan University Director of Athletics and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Rob Burke enters his fifth season leading the Hawks men’s basketball program and his first year serving as Director of Athletics after being named to the position in March 2026 by Dr. Rosemary M. Thomas. Burke became the 11th Director of Athletics in Chowan’s four-year era and the fourth in the institution’s NCAA Division II history while continuing his role as head coach of the men’s basketball program.
Burke has guided the Hawks through one of the most successful stretches in the program’s Division II era since taking over in May 2021 as the fifth head coach in program history. During the 2025-26 season, Burke led Chowan to an 18-14 overall record and a 13-7 mark in Conference Carolinas play. The Hawks also advanced to the Conference Carolinas Men’s Basketball Championship game for the first time in program history after postseason victories over King and UNC Pembroke before finishing as tournament runner-up. Damerius Summers finished the season with First Team All-Conference accolades, leading the team in scoring with 16.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Damien Robinson and Eric Gordon Jr. would earn All-Tournament Team honors after the teams Conference Carolinas Championship run.
In the 2024-25 season, Burke guided the Hawks to an 18-10 overall record and a 14-6 conference mark. Under his leadership, Daylan Askew led Conference Carolinas in scoring at 22.2 points per game, ranking 12th nationally in NCAA Division II, while becoming Chowan’s Division II all-time leading scorer. Askew earned Conference Carolinas Player of the Year honors, D2CCA Southeast All-Region First Team recognition, and NABC Southeast All-District First Team accolades. Cheick Traore concluded the season with 802 career rebounds and earned Conference Carolinas All-Defensive Team honors, while RJ Wilson and Aaron Ross each surpassed 1,000 career points. Chowan earned its second consecutive appearance in the Conference Carolinas Men’s Basketball Championship semifinals and placed 14 student-athletes on the 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 conference record. Chowan reached the 20-win mark for the first time in 32 years and posted one of the top road records in the country at 10-3. The Hawks advanced to the semifinals of the Conference Carolinas Men’s Basketball Championship, and Burke was named Conference Carolinas Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year following the season.
In the 2022-23 campaign, Burke guided the Hawks to a 14-12 overall record and a 12-8 mark in conference play. The season marked Chowan’s first winning campaign since 2016-17 and featured the program’s most conference wins since joining Conference Carolinas. The Hawks also hosted a Conference Carolinas Tournament game for the first time in the Division II era.
Burke began his tenure at Chowan during the 2021-22 season, leading the Hawks to an 8-18 overall record and an 8-15 conference mark. Chowan earned notable victories over King and regionally-ranked Lees-McRae during his first season at the helm.
A 1999 Chowan graduate, Burke returned to his alma mater after coaching stops across NCAA Division I, Division III, and the junior college ranks. Prior to returning to Chowan, Burke served as assistant men’s basketball coach at Colorado College for one season.
Before his time at Colorado College, Burke spent four seasons at UNC Wilmington, beginning as director of basketball operations in 2017 before being promoted to assistant coach during the 2018-19 season. Burke later served as interim head coach during the second half of the 2019-20 season, posting a 5-8 record while helping guide Shykeim Phillips to CAA All-Rookie Team honors.
Prior to UNC Wilmington, Burke served as director of basketball operations at Georgia Southern University for two seasons, helping mentor future program all-time leading scorer Tookie Brown.
Burke also spent five seasons as an assistant coach at The Citadel, where he helped recruit multiple 1,000-point scorers.
Before moving to the Division I level, Burke spent six seasons as head coach at Spartanburg Methodist College from 2004-10. During his tenure, Burke guided the Pioneers to a 112-67 overall record while averaging 19 wins per season. He earned Region X Coach of the Year honors in 2008-09 and helped 32 student-athletes advance to NCAA Division I and Division II programs.
Burke also spent the summer of 2008 as a pro staff skill development trainer for the Nike Regional Skills Academy.
Prior to becoming a head coach, Burke served as an assistant coach at Campbell University from 2002-04 and at Limestone University from 2000-02.
As a student-athlete at Chowan from 1995-99, Burke played for his father, legendary head coach Bob Burke, and remains ranked among the program’s top-10 in made three-point field goals, assists, and points during the Division III era. Burke graduated from Chowan in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management and a minor in Business Administration.
Burke and his wife, Neily, have two children, Mina and Marissa.
