Bruce Burnett receives Myron Roderick Man of the Year award from USA Wrestling
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Bruce Burnett, second from left, receives the USA Wrestling Myron Roderick Man of the Year Award from USA Wrestling president James Ravannack, wrestling legend Dan Gable and USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender in Iowa City, Iowa. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors.
Bruce Burnett of Colorado Springs, Colo. has been named the Myron Roderick Man of the Year by USA Wrestling, the national governing body for wrestling in the United States. This award recognizes an outstanding man for his contributions to the sport of wrestling.
The award is named in memory of the late Myron Roderick, one of the most influential figures in American wrestling history, a man who made an amazing impact as an athlete, college coach, administrator and visionary. Roderick was one of the founding fathers of USA Wrestling, developing from the U.S. Wrestling Federation of the late 1960s to what it has become today.
“I am honored. I know the type of individuals with USA Wrestling, both past and present, and to be considered in that category is humbling. It is always interesting to be blessed to have the opportunity to do what you love, and then get honored for it. I get to work with people like Jordan Burroughs, Tervel Dlagnev, Aaron Pico, Kyle Snyder, Bill Zadick, Terry Brands and so many more great people to be affiliated with. I am honored and blessed to be able to do it. Growing up in Bakersfield, you don’t anticipate something like this,” said Burnett.
Burnett serves as USA Wrestling’s National Freestyle Coach. He is completing his second stint as National Coach, having also run the freestyle program from 1992-2000. In May 2014, after Zeke Jones left USA Wrestling to take the Arizona State job, Burnett returned from retirement to lead the freestyle program through the 2016 Olympic Games. During his 10 seasons as National Coach, Burnett has coached the USA to 27 World medals and nine Olympic medals, including 13 World gold medals and four Olympic gold medals.
Since returning in 2014, Burnett has coached Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Snyder to World titles in 2015 and has had five World medalists, including bronze medalists Jordan Burroughs and Tervel Dlagnev in 2014, and bronze medalist James Green in 2015. The United States has placed ninth in the 2014 World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and seventh in the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas, Nev.
In his first stint as National Coach, Burnett served for two Olympic cycles, from 1993-2000, which are considered among the most successful for the United States in history. During his eight years leading the program, the United States won the World Team titles in men’s freestyle in both 1993 in Toronto, Canada and 1995 in Atlanta, Ga., the only two times in history. In addition, the United States won the medal count in men’s freestyle at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga.
During his previous tenure as National Freestyle Coach, Burnett coached many of the greatest wrestlers in American wrestling history. He coached Olympic champions Kendall Cross, Tom Brands and Kurt Angle at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and Olympic champion Brandon Slay at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Team USA won five medals at the 1996 Olympics (three gold, one silver, one bronze) and four medals at the 2000 Olympics (one gold, one silver, two bronze).
Nine U.S. athletes won 11 World titles during Burnett’s previous tenure as National Freestyle Coach included Bruce Baumgartner (1993, 1995), Terry Brands (1993, 1995), Tom Brands (1993), Melvin Douglas (1993), Kurt Angle (1995), Kevin Jackson (1995), Les Gutches (1997), Sammie Henson (1998) and Stephen Neal (1999). At the six World Championships in the first stint in which Burnett was National Freestyle Coach, the USA won 22 World medals, including 11 gold, four silver and seven bronze. At the World Championships, the USA placed in the top nine at the World Championships as a team every year, placing first (1993, 1995), second (1999), third (1998), sixth (1997) and ninth (1994).
During his tenure, the USA also won the team title at the 1999 Pan American Games with eight medalists. Team USA added seven World Cup team titles (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000) during his leadership, and Pan American Championships titles in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996.
A total of 17 athletes who competed on the freestyle national team under Burnett’s leadership have been elected into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame: Dave Schultz, Bruce Baumgartner, Kevin Jackson, Kendall Cross, Kurt Angle, Kenny Monday, Brandon Slay, Tom Brands, Terry Brands, Zeke Jones, Melvin Douglas, Les Gutches, Lincoln McIlravy, Stephen Neal, Pat Smith, Kerry McCoy and Eric Guerrero.
Burnett also serving as the National Developmental Coach for USA Wrestling during the 1989-92, handling the coaching and development of U.S. age group wrestlers. When you combine his time on the USA Wrestling national staff, Burnett has been an employee for USA Wrestling for 14 years.
He became the head coach at the U.S. Naval Academy after leaving USA Wrestling in the fall of 2000, serving 13 years leading the Navy staff until his retirement in September, 2013. Burnett led the Midshipmen to a 113-57 record (.665) that featured six-straight seasons of 10 or more wins from 2002-07. The Midshipmen have flourished under his guidance, finishing among the top five at the EIWA Championship in seven of the last nine years. Navy placed among the top 25 at the NCAA Championship in three of the last seven seasons. He guided Navy to an 18th-place finish at the 2007 and 2008 NCAA Championships, its highest NCAA finish since placing 13th more than two decades ago (1990). Along the way, he helped mold 10 EIWA Champions, 50 NCAA qualifiers and 10 wrestlers who earned NCAA Div. I All-American honors.
While at Navy, Burnett remained involved in USA Wrestling as a volunteer coach, both on the Senior and the age-group levels. He coached the 2011 Pan American Games team which won the team title with six medalists, including champions Jordan Burroughs, Jake Herbert, Jake Varner and Tervel Dlagnev. He was a coach for the 2014 U.S. Freestyle World Cup Team, which placed third in the standings in Los Angeles, Calif. He also coached the 2005 World University World Games team in Turkey, which had a tremendous performance with three champions, Nate Gallick, Jesse Jantsen and Tommy Rowlands. Burnett was also coach for the 2012 Junior World Team which competed in Pattaya, Thailand.
Prior to joining USA Wrestling, Burnett was the assistant coach for the storied program at Oklahoma State from 1987-1990. While there, the Cowboys won two NCAA team titles, two NWCA National Dual titles and three Big Eight Conference titles.
Burnett had a fantastic career as a high school coach for Meridian High in Idaho from 1974-1987. He coached the team to four state titles, four state runner-up finishes, six district titles and nine conference titles. His record at Meridian was 154-13-2 for a .923 winning percentage. Burnett also served as a state chairperson and a Junior chairperson for Idaho USA Wrestling.
He received an Associate Arts degree from Bakersfield College and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Idaho State University, where he was a star on the wrestling team. He is a member of the Idaho State University Hall of Fame.
“I have been blessed to be involved with the great people in wrestling and the values that the sport instills. I saw it as a young athlete, and then as a coach for youth. Then I went to the high school level, and many of those I worked with have done very well. Then it was on to Oklahoma State. I still have the opportunity to talk to those I worked with then on a regular basis. Every level I have been on has been a stepping stone for me. Each has helped me grow and be effective on the next level. I have great respect for the high school and college coaches who are working with young people. It bodes well for the future. Wrestling produces some amazing people. I am also very happy to have the support of my wife Karen,” said Burnett.
PAST USA WRESTLING MAN OF THE YEAR WINNERS
2015 – Bruce Burnett
2014 – Andy Barth
2013 – Bill Scherr
2012 – Jordan Burroughs
2011 – Dave Barry
2010 – Mike Novogratz
2009 – Greg Strobel
2008 - Sonny Greenhalgh
2007 - Van Stokes
2006 - Steve Silver
2005 - Al Bevilacqua
2004 - Jeff Levitetz
2003 - Set Agonian
2002 - Al Kastl
2001 - James Ravannack
2000 - Rulon Gardner
1999 - Duane Morgan
1998 - Scott Beck
1997 - Rick Tucci
1996 - Dave Schultz
1995 - Leroy Evans
1994 - James E. Scherr
1993 - Arthur J. Martori
1992 - Bruce Baumgartner
1990 - Eugene Barone
1989 - John Vaughan
1987 - Dave Rudrud
1986 - Jeff Blatnick
1985 - Dr. Dan Gould
1984 - Gary Thompson
1983 - Don Sondgeroth
1982 - Frank Rader
1981 - John Roberts
1980 - Rick Bay
1979 - Ben Bennett
1978 - Werner Holzer
1977 - Vince Zuaro
1976 - Ken Kraft
1974-75 - Russ Hellickson
1973 - Jack Stanbro
1972 - Melvin Jones
1971 - Bud Linholm
1970 - Rex Peery
Over the next nine days, USA Wrestling will announce its Man and Woman of the Year winners, Athlete and Coach of the Year winners in all three styles and its Golden Microphone winner.
Bruce Burnett of Colorado Springs, Colo. has been named the Myron Roderick Man of the Year by USA Wrestling, the national governing body for wrestling in the United States. This award recognizes an outstanding man for his contributions to the sport of wrestling.
The award is named in memory of the late Myron Roderick, one of the most influential figures in American wrestling history, a man who made an amazing impact as an athlete, college coach, administrator and visionary. Roderick was one of the founding fathers of USA Wrestling, developing from the U.S. Wrestling Federation of the late 1960s to what it has become today.
“I am honored. I know the type of individuals with USA Wrestling, both past and present, and to be considered in that category is humbling. It is always interesting to be blessed to have the opportunity to do what you love, and then get honored for it. I get to work with people like Jordan Burroughs, Tervel Dlagnev, Aaron Pico, Kyle Snyder, Bill Zadick, Terry Brands and so many more great people to be affiliated with. I am honored and blessed to be able to do it. Growing up in Bakersfield, you don’t anticipate something like this,” said Burnett.
Burnett serves as USA Wrestling’s National Freestyle Coach. He is completing his second stint as National Coach, having also run the freestyle program from 1992-2000. In May 2014, after Zeke Jones left USA Wrestling to take the Arizona State job, Burnett returned from retirement to lead the freestyle program through the 2016 Olympic Games. During his 10 seasons as National Coach, Burnett has coached the USA to 27 World medals and nine Olympic medals, including 13 World gold medals and four Olympic gold medals.
Since returning in 2014, Burnett has coached Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Snyder to World titles in 2015 and has had five World medalists, including bronze medalists Jordan Burroughs and Tervel Dlagnev in 2014, and bronze medalist James Green in 2015. The United States has placed ninth in the 2014 World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and seventh in the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas, Nev.
In his first stint as National Coach, Burnett served for two Olympic cycles, from 1993-2000, which are considered among the most successful for the United States in history. During his eight years leading the program, the United States won the World Team titles in men’s freestyle in both 1993 in Toronto, Canada and 1995 in Atlanta, Ga., the only two times in history. In addition, the United States won the medal count in men’s freestyle at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga.
During his previous tenure as National Freestyle Coach, Burnett coached many of the greatest wrestlers in American wrestling history. He coached Olympic champions Kendall Cross, Tom Brands and Kurt Angle at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and Olympic champion Brandon Slay at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Team USA won five medals at the 1996 Olympics (three gold, one silver, one bronze) and four medals at the 2000 Olympics (one gold, one silver, two bronze).
Nine U.S. athletes won 11 World titles during Burnett’s previous tenure as National Freestyle Coach included Bruce Baumgartner (1993, 1995), Terry Brands (1993, 1995), Tom Brands (1993), Melvin Douglas (1993), Kurt Angle (1995), Kevin Jackson (1995), Les Gutches (1997), Sammie Henson (1998) and Stephen Neal (1999). At the six World Championships in the first stint in which Burnett was National Freestyle Coach, the USA won 22 World medals, including 11 gold, four silver and seven bronze. At the World Championships, the USA placed in the top nine at the World Championships as a team every year, placing first (1993, 1995), second (1999), third (1998), sixth (1997) and ninth (1994).
During his tenure, the USA also won the team title at the 1999 Pan American Games with eight medalists. Team USA added seven World Cup team titles (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000) during his leadership, and Pan American Championships titles in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996.
A total of 17 athletes who competed on the freestyle national team under Burnett’s leadership have been elected into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame: Dave Schultz, Bruce Baumgartner, Kevin Jackson, Kendall Cross, Kurt Angle, Kenny Monday, Brandon Slay, Tom Brands, Terry Brands, Zeke Jones, Melvin Douglas, Les Gutches, Lincoln McIlravy, Stephen Neal, Pat Smith, Kerry McCoy and Eric Guerrero.
Burnett also serving as the National Developmental Coach for USA Wrestling during the 1989-92, handling the coaching and development of U.S. age group wrestlers. When you combine his time on the USA Wrestling national staff, Burnett has been an employee for USA Wrestling for 14 years.
He became the head coach at the U.S. Naval Academy after leaving USA Wrestling in the fall of 2000, serving 13 years leading the Navy staff until his retirement in September, 2013. Burnett led the Midshipmen to a 113-57 record (.665) that featured six-straight seasons of 10 or more wins from 2002-07. The Midshipmen have flourished under his guidance, finishing among the top five at the EIWA Championship in seven of the last nine years. Navy placed among the top 25 at the NCAA Championship in three of the last seven seasons. He guided Navy to an 18th-place finish at the 2007 and 2008 NCAA Championships, its highest NCAA finish since placing 13th more than two decades ago (1990). Along the way, he helped mold 10 EIWA Champions, 50 NCAA qualifiers and 10 wrestlers who earned NCAA Div. I All-American honors.
While at Navy, Burnett remained involved in USA Wrestling as a volunteer coach, both on the Senior and the age-group levels. He coached the 2011 Pan American Games team which won the team title with six medalists, including champions Jordan Burroughs, Jake Herbert, Jake Varner and Tervel Dlagnev. He was a coach for the 2014 U.S. Freestyle World Cup Team, which placed third in the standings in Los Angeles, Calif. He also coached the 2005 World University World Games team in Turkey, which had a tremendous performance with three champions, Nate Gallick, Jesse Jantsen and Tommy Rowlands. Burnett was also coach for the 2012 Junior World Team which competed in Pattaya, Thailand.
Prior to joining USA Wrestling, Burnett was the assistant coach for the storied program at Oklahoma State from 1987-1990. While there, the Cowboys won two NCAA team titles, two NWCA National Dual titles and three Big Eight Conference titles.
Burnett had a fantastic career as a high school coach for Meridian High in Idaho from 1974-1987. He coached the team to four state titles, four state runner-up finishes, six district titles and nine conference titles. His record at Meridian was 154-13-2 for a .923 winning percentage. Burnett also served as a state chairperson and a Junior chairperson for Idaho USA Wrestling.
He received an Associate Arts degree from Bakersfield College and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Idaho State University, where he was a star on the wrestling team. He is a member of the Idaho State University Hall of Fame.
“I have been blessed to be involved with the great people in wrestling and the values that the sport instills. I saw it as a young athlete, and then as a coach for youth. Then I went to the high school level, and many of those I worked with have done very well. Then it was on to Oklahoma State. I still have the opportunity to talk to those I worked with then on a regular basis. Every level I have been on has been a stepping stone for me. Each has helped me grow and be effective on the next level. I have great respect for the high school and college coaches who are working with young people. It bodes well for the future. Wrestling produces some amazing people. I am also very happy to have the support of my wife Karen,” said Burnett.
PAST USA WRESTLING MAN OF THE YEAR WINNERS
2015 – Bruce Burnett
2014 – Andy Barth
2013 – Bill Scherr
2012 – Jordan Burroughs
2011 – Dave Barry
2010 – Mike Novogratz
2009 – Greg Strobel
2008 - Sonny Greenhalgh
2007 - Van Stokes
2006 - Steve Silver
2005 - Al Bevilacqua
2004 - Jeff Levitetz
2003 - Set Agonian
2002 - Al Kastl
2001 - James Ravannack
2000 - Rulon Gardner
1999 - Duane Morgan
1998 - Scott Beck
1997 - Rick Tucci
1996 - Dave Schultz
1995 - Leroy Evans
1994 - James E. Scherr
1993 - Arthur J. Martori
1992 - Bruce Baumgartner
1990 - Eugene Barone
1989 - John Vaughan
1987 - Dave Rudrud
1986 - Jeff Blatnick
1985 - Dr. Dan Gould
1984 - Gary Thompson
1983 - Don Sondgeroth
1982 - Frank Rader
1981 - John Roberts
1980 - Rick Bay
1979 - Ben Bennett
1978 - Werner Holzer
1977 - Vince Zuaro
1976 - Ken Kraft
1974-75 - Russ Hellickson
1973 - Jack Stanbro
1972 - Melvin Jones
1971 - Bud Linholm
1970 - Rex Peery
Over the next nine days, USA Wrestling will announce its Man and Woman of the Year winners, Athlete and Coach of the Year winners in all three styles and its Golden Microphone winner.
