SAN ANTONIO – Our sympathies and prayers for the family and friends of
Ken Burmeister. Burmeister, who spent 12 years as the head coach of the University of the Incarnate Word men's basketball team, passed away on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. He is survived by his wife, Brenda, and two children, Amanda and Sam. A student-athlete at UIW,
Sam Burmeister played in 100 games and made 56 starts for his father between 2013 and 2018.
Burmeister posted 10 winning seasons with UIW, including two Heartland Conference titles, a pair of appearances in the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament and a berth in the CollegeInsiders.com Tournament. He accumulated a 311-280 (.526) record in 21 seasons as a head coach and a 183-156 (.540) record with the Cardinals.
Burmeister earned his 300th career win in a 75-71 victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Jan. 16, 2016. The Cardinals also knocked off perennial power St. John's, 73-51, in Queens earlier that season.
Burmeister was instrumental in helping UIW transition from Division II to Division I during the 2013-14 season. The first Division I season included a 21-6 overall record with a 9-5 mark in Southland Conference play. The Cardinals were 14-1 in the McDermott Convocation Center as well.
With Burmeister at the helm guiding UIW, the Cardinals went on the road and upset Princeton and Nebraska in 2014-15, creating national headlines. They followed those nonconference wins with an opportunity to host a CollegeInsiders.com Tournament game against the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. This was the first postseason game the program played since becoming Division I.
UIW appeared in the final national rankings in several categories following the 2013-14 season as well. They averaged 82.1 points per game, landing them eighth in Division I. Defensively, UIW was a strong rebounding team, finishing third in defensive rebounds per game (28.5) and 11th in total rebounds per game (39.6).
Prior to joining the Southland Conference, Burmeister led UIW in its move from the Heartland Conference to the Lone Star Conference (LSC). In his three seasons in the LSC, he guided UIW to a pair of conference tournament appearances, including a semifinal appearance in 2012-13.
Burmeister led the Cardinals to back-to-back Heartland Conference titles in 2008-09 and 2009-10. The Cardinals won 23 games both seasons.
In 2007-08, Burmeister guided the Cardinals to the Heartland Conference Tournament.
In the 2006-07 season, Burmeister took over a program that was coming off a pair of losing seasons. He quickly turned the program around, leading UIW to an 18-11 record.
Remembering Coach Ken Burmeister
Richard Duran, UIW interim Athletics Director
"Coach Burmeister always coached with passion and left it all out on the court. We are blessed that Coach Burmeister left a lasting impression on the UIW program, and there is no amount of thanks for his dedication and service to college basketball. Our prayers are with the Burmeister family."
Kenyon Spears, UIW men's basketball assistant coach
"My family and I are deeply saddened to hear of Coach Burmeister's passing. He holds a very special place in our hearts. As a Coach, I admired his dedication and fiery spirit for his team, staff, and players. As a Dad and husband, it was clear how much he loved his family.
I am grateful to have worked with and learned from him. This is a loss for the entire college basketball family."
Kyle Hittle, former UIW men's basketball student-athlete
"Coach B and I had an up and down relationship, just like you would with any coach. But he took a chance on me when no one else did, and I owe him my life for that. Playing for him, he taught me about basketball, but more importantly he taught me about life. He impacted the lives of players like me and of all the people who knew him well. He will be missed by many. Rest in peace, Coach B."
