Kevin Burke tabbed as Wilmington Quakers’ new head football coach

Wilmington College Senior Director of Athletics Bill Wilson announced Tuesday the hiring of Kevin Burke as their new head football coach. 

Burke is the 16th head coach of the Quakers program, dating back to 1947.

"We are excited to have Kevin join the Wilmington College family as our next head football coach," Wilson said. "It became very evident during the interview process that Kevin is dedicated to the development of the student-athlete as people, as students and as football players.

“He is an effective communicator that our current players, recruits, campus community and stakeholders are going to enjoy getting to know."

Burke is no stranger to being a collegiate head coach, spending six seasons at the helm of the Juniata College football program before heading his alma mater, Gettysburg College for two seasons.

"I am honored to be selected as the new head football coach at Wilmington College," Burke said. "I want to thank Bill Wilson and the search committee for putting so much time and effort into this process. The passion that Interim President Corey Cockerill and Vice President for Student Affairs Sigrid Solomon have for athletics is as impressive as it is inspiring.

“Everyone I met during my visit to Wilmington made me feel right at home. I can't wait to meet the entire team and get started. My family and I couldn't be more excited."

Burke spent the last four seasons as the Associate Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator at the University of Minnesota Morris in Morris, Minn. In 2023, he helped the Cougars to a 7-4 finish and their first Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Championship since 2006. The Cougars also earned a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time since 1981.

Minnesota Morris Director of Athletics Matt Johnson was excited about Burke's new opportunity. “While I am sad to see Coach Burke leave UMN Morris, I am incredibly thankful for all he gave to our football program and University,” he said. “Kevin is an outstanding football coach, and more importantly a tremendous person."

UMN Morris Head Football Coach Marty Hoffmann added, “We want to thank Coach Burke for all he has done for Cougar Football. Since his arrival on campus, he has helped transform Cougar Football into a championship program. We wish him all the best at Wilmington College. They got a great coach and an even better person."

Before Minnesota Morris, Burke spent 16 seasons (2004-2019) at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pa., including 14 as their Offensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator before the final two as Head Coach of the Bullets. During his time in Gettysburg, the Bullets led the Centennial Conference in total offense five times, rushing offense seven times and passing offense two times.

Prior to this, he spent nine of 10 seasons at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, with three as an Assistant Coach (1994-1996) and Offensive Coordinator before six as their Head Coach from 1998-2003. In 1999, he led the Eagles to a second-place finish in the MAC, which was their highest finish in school history. He spent one season in 1997 at Norwich University in Northfield, Vt. as their Offensive Coordinator.

Burke began his coaching journey at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, N.Y. for two seasons (1990-1991) as an Assistant and Wide Receivers Coach. He then made his way to Clinton, N.Y. for a two-season stint (1992-1993) as an Assistant at Hamilton College. While there, he held the positions of Secondary, Special Teams, Passing Game and Recruiting Coordinator.

Other positions Burke has held during his tenure in college athletics include, Assistant Director of Athletics at Juniata, Head Track and Field Coach at both Juniata and Norwich, and Assistant Track and Field Coach at Juniata and Hamilton. He has also taught several classes throughout his stint in college athletics.

Burke will be taking over a Wilmington College program that has finished 3-7 overall the last two seasons and 2-7 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC).