By Bobby Narang
The Rashon Burno era officially tipped off Monday afternoon.
The former DePaul University guard was named the new Northern Illinois University (NIU) men’s basketball head coach Saturday afternoon. Burno, who coached three years at Marmion Academy in Aurora, 2007-2010, was officially introduced Monday during a press conference.
“This opportunity was one that I couldn’t pass up,” said Burno said. “After talking to Dr. (University president Lisa C.)Freeman, speaking to athletic director 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.”
Northern Illinois athletic director, Sean Frazier, said Burno fills all the categories he was looking for from a head coach. Mark Montgomery was fired in January after a 1-7 start.
“When we started this process, it was about the right fit and matching up with our core values at NIU,” Frazier said in a statement. “Rashon Burno brings significant experience within Illinois, Chicagoland, and other basketball powerhouse regions. This is vital in growing the NIU basketball brand.”
Burno is no stranger to big-time high school and college basketball. He played high school basketball for legendary coach Bobby Hurley Sr. at St. Anthony’s in Jersey City, N. J..
He was a mainstay in the lineup for the DePaul, where he helped lead the Blue Demons to the 1999 NIT Tournament and the 2000 NCAA Tournament and then accepted his first head coaching job at Marmion Academy in Aurora.
After he left Marmion Academy, Burno was an assistant at Towson College Md.), and Manhattan College (N.Y.) and gained notoriety for his three seasons working under University of Florida coach Billy Donovan, now head coach of the Chicago Bulls. The 43-year-old Burno spent the past six seasons at Arizona State under head coach Bobby Hurley, Jr..
Burno said he’s putting an emphasis on recruiting norther Illinois talent to DeKalb. He plans to find athletes who play with passion and fight to go with talent.
“I think if you look at some of the great programs that exist today, that you have to protect home,” he said. “That’s priority one, two, and three. Chicagoland is rich in talent…You have to take care of home. That’s where we’re going to have a strong emphasis. If you can get the locals to stay home and win the game, we can expand our brand and make it a national brand. But now my sole focus is to protect home.”