A native of Kettering, Ohio, Burns began his career at Lincoln Memorial University in the fall of 1970 where he was a dual-sport athlete, lettering in baseball and basketball.

While playing for the legendary Dean Bailey, Burns was a standout in both sports and was inducted into the Lincoln Memorial University Athletes Hall of Fame in 2003 for his collegiate contributions.

In 1976, he accepted the position of assistant baseball coach and four years later became head coach when Bailey made the decision to retire after 31 years at the helm of the Railsplitter baseball program.

From 1981 to 1987, Burns served as the skipper of the Lincoln Memorial University baseball program, serving as athletics director from 1987 to 1988 and as director of campus and community recreation from 1989 to 1995.

In 1995, Burns again returned to the diamond, this time as head coach of the Lady Railsplitter softball program. Although this was his first experience coaching women’s collegiate softball, his knowledge of the game shined on the field and his teams soon made their presence known throughout the Gulf South Conference. In only his second season with the LMU softball program, the Lady Railsplitters reached the 1996 GSC Tournament Championship losing to eventual champion Alabama-Huntsville.

During Burns’ tenure as head coach of the LMU softball program, the Lady Railsplitters have made seven trips to the conference tournament and produced 20 all-conference players and two NCAA Division II All-Americans.  In addition, Burns ranks as one of the nation’s winningest active coaches with a career record of 409 wins, 296 losses and one tie going into the 2008 season.

Burns is a 1974 graduate of Lincoln Memorial University. He currently resides in Harrogate with his wife, Regina and their three children - Josh, Victoria and Gavin.