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Arizona hires former Buffalo head coach and Louisville player Becky Burke

Becky Burke, who has coached for the last three seasons at Buffalo and played on Louisville's first Final Four team, has been hired as the next Arizona head coach.
ByAlan Rubenstein|
Mar 19, 2012; College Park, MD, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Becky Burke (11) controls the ball during the second half of the game against the Maryland Terrapins in the second round of the 2012 NCAA women's basketball tournament at Comcast Center. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-Imagn Images
Mar 19, 2012; College Park, MD, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Becky Burke (11) controls the ball during the second half of the game against the Maryland Terrapins in the second round of the 2012 NCAA women's basketball tournament at Comcast Center. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-Imagn Images | Evan Habeeb-Imagn Images

Arizona has hired Becky Burke as the next women's basketball coach. Burke spent the last three seasons as the head coach at Buffalo. In three seasons at Buffalo, Burke was 61–37 and is 90–61 in five seasons as a Division I head coach. Burke began her head coaching career at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott.

Burke was 35-18 at E-RAU in two seasons before leaving for Division II University of Charleston in West Virginia. In two seasons at Charleston, 48-14. South Carolina Upstate hired Burke for her first Division I head coaching job in 2021. Burke turned around USC-U from 8-15 in 2020-21 to 22-8 in 2021-22.

After two seasons at USC-U, Burke left for Buffalo. Burke played four seasons under Jeff Walz at Louisville. Burke was a part of the first Louisville Women's Final Four team in 2009. Burke is part of the coaching tree of Arizona alum and Maryland National Championship Head Coach Brenda Frese.

Walz was an assistant under Frese for five seasons at Maryland before becoming the Louisville head coach. Burke led Charleston to the 2019 NCAA Division II Tournament. Buffalo lost in the first round of the 2024 WNIT before winning that tournament in 2025. The Bulls finished with a program-best 30-7 during the 2024-25 season.

Buffalo played aggressively offensively and defensively in 2024-25 and was very efficient. The Bulls were 19th nationally in free throws made 33rd in attempts and 48th in percentage. Buffalo was 25th in assists and 28th nationally in steals in 2024-25.

Buffalo redshirt senior guard Chellia Watson was named first-team All-Mid-American Conference, and sophomore Kirsten Lewis-Williams earned All-Second Team. Lewis-Williams entered the transfer portal on Monday and could be a player to watch for Arizona. Power forward Nevaeh Dickman is the only player in the 2025 Buffalo class.

Burke faces a major rebuilding job for the 2025-26 roster. Montaya Dew is the only scholarship player left on the Arizona roster for 2025-26, and the Wildcats also have former walk-ons Brooklyn Rhodes and Erin Tack. Burke could try and re-recruit some of the Arizona transfers who left because of Barnes and have not committed to other programs.

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