University of West Florida

2017-18 Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year

Jeff Burkhamer became the fourth head men's basketball coach in UWF history when was hired on April 15, 2015.

Burkhamer enters his ninth season as UWF's head coach in 2023-24 and has implemented a solid culture for the program by bringing new energy and expectations to UWF basketball.

Last season saw the Argonauts win 13 games as they were led by Daniel Sofield and Latrell Tate. Sofield averaged 15.4 points per game and finished his UWF career with 1234 points and a school-record 213 3-pointers. Tate led the team in scoring with 16.5 points per game.

2021-22 saw the team open the year 11-1 and jump out to the best conference start in more than 20 years at 5-0. Daniel Sofield became the school's career 3-point leader and was named Second Team All-District, All-Region and First Team All-GSC. He also earned CoSIDA Academic All-District and was voted onto the GSC Winter All-Academic Team. The Argos won 18 games and qualified for the GSC Tournament for the fourth time in the last six season and 13th time overall. 

In the 2020-21 season the Argonauts battled through an unprecedented season due to COVID-19, still achieving individual success. Senior Tarik Mckelphin and sophomore Daniel Sofield earned Second Team All GSC East Honors. Mckelphin led the team in minutes per game, rebounds and field goals and tied for points with 288 on the season. Sofield tied for points with 288, led the team in three pointers and was second in minutes played. Senior point guard Cameron Cox ended his four year career at UWF leading the team in assist. Newcomer Wendell Matthews was a key contributor to the teams success in his ability to score in the paint and leading the team in blocked shots.

During the 2019-2020 season, the Argonauts recovered from a slow start to become a feared side in the GSC.  Burkhamer once again leaned on Jon Brown who was named as a second team all-conference performer.  The 2018-19 GSC Freshman of the Year winner tallied over 17 points a game to go along with 6.3 rebounds per contest.  The squad also saw the debuts of guards Tarik Mckelphin and Daniel Sofield along with post player Conor Flanagan, who missed his first two seasons with the Argonauts.  Mckelphin was third on the team in points per game while Sofield was a marksman with 58 three-pointers made.  Flanagan made his presence known starting 15 contests and averaging 6.2 points per.  West Florida continued to make the UWF Fieldhouse a tough place for opponents to visit as the Argos went 10-4 on the year.

In 2018-19, Burkhamer continued to guide individual and team success on the court. The season was a breakout one for wing player Jon Brown, who captured the GSC Freshman of the Year award. Senior point guard Rashaan Benson capped an incredible UWF career by becoming the program's all-time leader in assists and steals. 

The Argonauts rewrote the UWF record books in the 2017-18 campaign, setting single-season program records in wins (28), winning percentage (.875), conference wins (17), and conference winning percentage (.850). The season also marked UWF's first Gulf South Conference Championships, with a 71-65 win over Delta State in the GSC Championship game, and the team's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. 

Burkhamer led several players to breakout seasons in 2017-18, including Darryl Tucker, who was an All-GSC First Team selection and a Division II Bulletin All-American. West Florida also entered the National Assocation of Basketball Coaches top 10 for the first time in program history, reaching No. 9 on March 8. 

Burkhamer and UWF also continued to build a home-court advantage, with a 14-1 record at the UWF Field House in 2017-18. 

The team achieved a number of milestones in Burkhamer's second season, including a winning percentage of .689, the highest for UWF since 1997-1998 and the fourth-highest in school history. The 20 overall wins equaled the most for a single season in school history. The 14-8 conference mark was the best in UWF history. The team won 9 straight at home to cap the season, finishing a school-record 11-2 at the UWF Field House. The team also enjoyed a school-record 8 road wins and played in a school-record 5 overtime games. 

In 2016-17, the Argos finished in the GSC top 5 in a number of categories, including scoring offense (78.9 PPG, 3rd GSC), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.15, 3rd GSC), offensive rebounds (13.3 per game, 2nd GSC, 26th NCAA Div. II) and free throw attempts (724, 2nd GSC, 38th NCAA Div. II). Burkhamer earned his 400th career win during the 2016-17 season and earned national recognition when he was selected NCAA Division II National Coach of the Week by hoopdirt.com February 28th. 

The 2016-17 Argos had 2 players named to the GSC All-Academic team (Jason Laatsch, Austin Somerfield) and 5 more players selected to as GSC All-Academic Honorable Mentions (Josh Laatsch, Marvin Jones, Darryl Tucker, Henri Ventoniemi, Bryan Chalifoux). 

The Argos finished his first season winning four of their last seven games, and the team finished 20-9 (14-8 GSC) in his second season, completing the biggest turnaround in UWF and Gulf South Conference history (7 wins to 20 wins). 

Burkhamer has 35 years of coaching experience, including 17 as a head coach at the NCAA Division II level. He holds a career record of 440-242 in 22 years as a head coach. He was a combined 218-153 in seven seasons at Armstrong State and six at Lander, and he also posted a record of 155-41 in six seasons as a junior college head coach at North Greenville College and Santa Fe Community College.
 
In Burkhamer’s six seasons at Lander (2009-15) he posted a record of 84-78. The Bearcats made significant improvements during his time at the helm, as they finished a combined 63-46 in his final four seasons compared to 21-32 in his first two. In his seven years at Armstrong State (2002-09), Burkhamer finished with a record of 134-75 with four NCAA tournament appearances. The Pirates totaled at least 20 wins in four of his seven seasons.
 
Before his stint at Armstrong State, Burkhamer was an associate head coach at Division I Marshall (1998-02). He helped lead the Thundering Herd to a record of 70-44 over four seasons.
 
Burkhamer first made his mark as a junior college head coach, spending two years at North Greenville College (1989-91) and four at Santa Fe Community College (1994-98) in Gainesville, Florida. He led North Greenville to back-to-back 29-5 seasons and back-to-back Region 10 championships. The Mounties advanced to the NJCAA round of 16 in his first season in 1989-90, and they advanced to the elite eight in 1990-91. He was named NJCAA Region 10 Coach of the Year in both of his seasons at North Greenville.
 
During his four years at Santa Fe Community College, Burkhamer posted a record of 97-31. He was named National Junior College Coach of the Year by College Sports Magazine after winning a school record 28 games during the 1995-96 season. The Saints then won the Mid-Florida Conference championship in his final two seasons, and they reached the Region 7 semifinals in 1996-97 and the quarterfinals in 1997-98.
 
Before landing his first job as a head coach, Burkhamer worked as an assistant for one season at Winthrop (1984-85), two seasons at Charleston Southern (1985-87) and two seasons at Morehead State (1987-89). He also worked for three seasons on the coaching staff for the Grand Rapids Hoops (1991-94) in the Continental Basketball Association, the developmental league for the NBA. Grand Rapids won three conference titles and advanced to the CBA finals one time during his time with the team.
 
Burkhamer attended Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, West Virginia and earned his bachelor’s degree in 1984. He was a four-year letterwinner in basketball and baseball and holds the school’s all-time assists record with 646. He was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 2001. Burkhamer was also honored by the Parkersburg News and Sentinel in 2004 as a member of their silver anniversary team, honoring the top high school players in the past 25 years the Parkersburg, West Virginia area.
 
Burkhamer and his wife, Diane, have two daughters, Melissa and Lindsey. Melissa currently works for Cleva North America in Greenville, SC, and Lindsey is a senior at UWF.

 
Burkhamer’s Coaching Resume
Head Coach Positions
 
University of West Florida (NCAA Division II; Pensacola, Fla.)
Year: W-L (Gulf South Conference)
2022-2023: 13-15 (9-15 GSC)
2021-2022: 18-11 (11-9 GSC)
2020-2021: 7-12 (7-12 GSC)
2019-2020: 14-14 (11-9 GSC)
2018-2019: 12-16 (8-12 GSC)
2017-2018: 28-4 (17-3 GSC)
2016-2017: 20-9 (14-8 GSC)
2015-2016: 7-19 (5-17 GSC)
UWF Total (8 seasons): 119-100 (.543 winning percentage)

Lander University (NCAA Division II; Greenwood, South Carolina)
Year: W-L (Peach Belt Conference)
2014-15: 19-8 (11-8)
2013-14: 17-12 (11-8)
2012-13: 9-17 (4-15)
2011-12: 18-9 (11-7)
2010-11: 10-16 (3-15)
2009-10: 11-16 (5-13)
Lander Total (6 seasons): 84-78 (.519 winning percentage)
 
Armstrong State University (NCAA Division II: Savannah, Georgia)
Year: W-L (Peach Belt Conference)
2008-09: 23-9 (15-5)
2007-08: 17-11 (11-9)
2006-07: 21-9 (11-5)
2005-06: 23-8 (15-5)
2004-05: 15-14 (6-10)
2003-04: 21-10 (10-6)
2002-03: 14-14 (12-7)
Armstrong Total (7 seasons): 134-75 (.641 winning percentage)
 
Santa Fe Community College (NJCAA; Gainesville, Florida)
Year: W-L
1997-98: 28-3
1996-97: 26-6
1995-96: 28-4
1994-95: 15-18
Santa Fe Community College Total (4 seasons): 97-31 (.758 winning percentage)
 
North Greenville College (NJCAA; Tigerville, South Carolina)
Year: W-L
1990-91: 29-5
1989-90: 29-5
North Greenville College Total (2 seasons): 58-10 (.853 winning percentage)
 
Overall HC Total: 492-294 (.631)
Wins Per Season: 18.4
NCAA Division II Total: 337-253 (.571)
Gulf South Conference Total: 115-100 (.535)
Peach Belt Conference Total: 218-153 (.588)
NJCAA Total: 155-41 (.791)
 
Assistant Coach Positions
1998-02 (4 seasons): Marshall University (NCAA Division I; Huntington, West Virginia)
1991-94 (3 seasons): Grand Rapids Hoops (Continental Basketball Association; Grand Rapids, Michigan)
1987-89 (2 seasons): Morehead State University (NCAA Division I; Morehead, Kentucky)
1985-87 (2 seasons): Charleston Southern University (NCAA Division I; Charleston, South Carolina)
1984-85 (1 season): Winthrop University (NCAA Division I; Rock Hill, South Carolina)