PORTLAND, Ore. – University of Portland has named Megan Burton as the 10th volleyball head coach in program history, Portland Vice President for Athletics Scott Leykam announced on Wednesday. Burton, who joined the program as an assistant coach in the spring of 2019, begins her head coaching tenure immediately.
"Megan stood out among a talented pool of candidates that were interested in the position," Leykam said. "She was a great culture fit here at Portland as soon as she joined the program last spring and has exuded professionalism, while creating a sense of excitement about the future. She has a deep knowledge of high-level volleyball as both a player and coach, and knows what it takes to be successful in the West Coast Conference. She is well-respected in the industry, as well as within our locker room, and we are excited to see the program grow under her guidance."
"I am so excited and grateful for this amazing opportunity to lead the young women of the Pilot volleyball program," Burton said. "I would like to thank Father Mark Poorman, Scott Leykam, Karen Peters and everyone at the University of Portland for their belief in my vision for the Pilots. I am extremely grateful to my family for their constant love, support and guidance. Dylan (Hamilton) and Justice (Magraw) have been an outstanding part of our staff and program through this transitional process and I am thankful for their dedication and hard work. In my time at Portland, these young women have displayed so much strength, kindness and compassion. They have built a winning culture and I am proud to continue this journey with our volleyball family.
"The University of Portland is special place that values the importance of excellence in the classroom, in athletics, and in life. These core values are the foundation of my vision for this volleyball program. We will work together to build leaders in the classroom and winners on the volleyball court. And most importantly we are dedicated to the formation of good people through our thoughts and actions. I am excited to get to work. It's a great day to be a Pilot!"
Burton joined the Pilots last March as an assistant coach and then served as interim co-head coach during the 2019 season. Her primary responsibilities included recruiting, coordinating the defense, practice planning, video breakdown, scouting, travel and academic oversight.
Portland had two players earn All-WCC as middle blocker Shayla Hoeft garnered second team recognition, while Liz Riech was honorable mention.
Prior to joining Portland, Burton spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Nevada, where she served as co-recruiting coordinator and was involved in all facets of team operations. Burton developed seven players that earned All-Mountain West Conference honors throughout her tenure on staff.
Burton was an assistant coach at San Jose State for one season and spent three years on staff at her alma mater, Saint Mary's, in a variety of capacities.
A native of Honolulu, Hawai'i, Burton has extensive coaching connections with elite volleyball clubs throughout the western United States.
A four-year starter as a player at Saint Mary's, she twice earned All-West Coast Conference first team honors. Burton helped lead the Gaels to their first-ever WCC Championship in 2009 and advance to the second round of the NCAA Championships. She is still among the school's all-time leaders in blocks and hitting percentage. She also twice earned WCC All-Academic Team recognition.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT MEGAN BURTON
"It was only a matter of time until a smart Athletic Director hired Megan Burton as a new head coach. Megan is intelligent, hard-working, knowledgeable, and above all is dedicated to all those around her. Portland has hired a great coach in Megan Burton!"
- Lee Nelson, University of Nevada Volleyball Head Coach
"Megan Burton is the right person at the right time for Portland Pilots Volleyball. I am ecstatic for Megs and for the young women who will continue to benefit from her leadership and guidance. From the day Megs stepped on to the Saint Mary's College campus she made a positive difference. The same qualities that made her a champion on the court make her an outstanding coach. She knows the game and knows how to teach it, she is a competitor, and she has the right combination of empathy and toughness to lead the Pilots to sustained success. Most importantly, Megan has the strength of character that will make an enduring difference in the lives of the student-athletes."
- Rob Browning, Saint Mary's College Volleyball Head Coach
"My first interactions with Megan involved introducing stat coding with DataVolley during her first year coaching as a volunteer at Saint Mary's. That is not an easy program to learn, and stymies a lot of would-be coaches. She was incredibly proactive working at it, and, it was clear already she had the drive and talent to succeed at a high level coaching collegiate volleyball. Over the years, I have seen her grow into a fantastic well-rounded coach. She is ready for this, and Portland is fortunate to have her. I'm excited to see the program flourish under her leadership."
- Brent Crouch, former Portland Head Coach, current Auburn Volleyball Head Coach
