Rashon Burno
Scott Walstrom, NIU

Rashon Burno Introduced as NIU Men’s Basketball Head Coach

Rashon Burno

DEKALB, Ill. – On Monday (March 8), Northern Illinois University Associate-Vice President/Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier and NIU President Dr. Lisa Freeman formally introduced Rashon Burno as the 29th head coach of the NIU Men’s Basketball program. 

Burno, who has spent the last six seasons as a member of Bobby Hurley’s staff at Arizona State, toured the NIU Convocation Center and met with various members of the athletic department throughout the day. 

Rashon Burno
Rashon Burno
Rashon Burno
Rashon Burno
Rashon Burno

“This opportunity was one that I couldn’t pass up,” said Burno during his introduction on Monday. “After talking to Dr. Freeman, speaking to Sean (T. Frazier), their vision for what they believe in aligned with what has guided me throughout my life. I wanted to be somewhere that community was important, I was raised by a community, I was unfortunate to lose my parents pretty young and the people around me guided me through and helped me make really good decisions that would pay off later.

“So hearing their vision aligned with mine and made me want the position even more. I told my family that if I had the opportunity to work with these people, it is an easy decision.”
 

During his time at Arizona State, Burno and the Sun Devils posted three consecutive 20-win seasons for just the third time in program history. Prior to joining Arizona State, Burno spent three seasons with current Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan at the University of Florida, helping the Gators to an Elite Eight appearance in 2013 and a Final Four in 2014. 

“We are going to play an exciting brand of basketball … We are going to be more concept based than set plays, we are going to press, that is in my DNA from under Coach (Billy) Donovan and Steve Masiello. We are going to play 94 feet; we are going to try to create a lot of possessions but I’m also going to give my kids freedom to go out and perform.”
-NIU Men's Basketball Head Coach Rashon Burno

Burno returns to the Chicagoland area where he was a player at DePaul from 1998-2002 and the head coach at Marmion Academy in Aurora from 2007-10. 

Lisa Freeman, Rashon Burno and Sean T. Frazier

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