- Head Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Coach; Assistant Coach – Distance/Mid-Distance
Burns By The Numbers
- 3.19: Average Men's Cross Country team GPA
- 3.49: Average Women's Cross Country team GPA
-----------------------------------------
- 1 Olympian
- 1 Collegiate Record
- 2 Honda Sports Woman of the Year Award winners
- 4 Collegiate Top-10 Marks
- 6 Individual National Championships
- 6 Conference Runner of the Year Honorees
- 7 Conference Team Champions
- 15 All-Americans
- 23 School Records
- 29 All-Region Finishers
- 37 NCAA Championships Qualifiers
- 85 Conference Champions
--------------------------
- 2017 USTFCCCA Midwest Indoor Women's Assistant Coach of the Year
- 2016 USTFCCCA Midwest Cross Country Women's Coach of the Year
- 2009 USTFCCCA Midwest Women's Outdoor Coach of the Year
- 2009 Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Women's Coach of the Year
- 2008 Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Women's Coach of the Year
- 2007 Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Women's Coach of the Year
- 2006 Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Women's Coach of the Year
Summary of Campaign
Marc Burns is in his seventh season at Mizzou as the head coach of the cross country program and the assistant coach in charge of the distance runners on the track & field team. The distance group has experienced exponential growth with Burns in charge, as the women’s cross country team captured a regional title and qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time in more than a decade in 2016. While at Mizzou, Burns has coached Tiger runners to six national championships, 12 All-America honors and nine SEC titles.
In 2019, Burns led the women’s cross country team to its fourth consecutive Top-5 finish at the SEC Championships. The cross country season was also highlighted by senior Thomas George qualifying for the NCAA Championships after finishing second at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships. George was the first Mizzou distance runner to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships since Karissa Schweizer in 2017. His group followed the cross country season up with a successful indoor track season, including sophomore Martin Prodanov winning the mile run at the SEC Championships.
His first seasons at Mizzou were highlighted by the historic success from runners like Karissa Schweizer, Megan Cunningham and Jamie Kempfer. Leading the group, Schweizer finished her decorated collegiate career under Burns including six National Championships, 11 All-America honors, four Top-5 program records, and being named the 2018 USTFCCCA Women’s Indoor Track National Athlete of the Year and the 2016 USTFCCA Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year. Going on to run for Bowerman Track Club, Schweizer became the first female Olympian in program history since coach Natasha (Kaiser) Brown in 1996.
Prior to Mizzou
Prior to Mizzou, Burns served as the head coach of the Bradley Cross Country and Track & Field program for four years, where he was charged with the restoration of the men's indoor and outdoor track and field team, which was disbanded in 1992. The team was reinstated in 2012 and, under Burns' guiding hand, quickly gained momentum, culminating in the first NCAA Championships qualifiers since the mid-1970's with juniors Eric Delvo and Chase Coffey competing at the NCAA West Preliminary Round in the 3000-meter Steeplechase.
Burns also led the women to a historic season in 2014, closing with the team's first NCAA Championships qualifier since 1998 in sophomore Kristen Busch, who placed 18th in the 10,000-meter run at the finals.
Burns departed Peoria with a total of 14 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors, four USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual honors, eight All-MVC First Team finishers (cross country), 17 All-MVC First Team finishers (track & field), five MVC Champions, five NCAA West Preliminary Round qualifiers, three NCAA Midwest All-Region Cross Country performances, one NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier, and 13 new Bradley University School Records.
He added those accolades to an equally impressive resume from his time as the head cross country coach, assistant track and field coach, at Wichita State University (2006-10). A four-time MVC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year (2006-09) and the 2009 USTFCCCA Midwest Region Women's Coach of the Year while with the Shockers, Burns guided the women to four consecutive MVC Cross Country titles. His time in Wichita was highlighted by Kellyn Johnson Taylor's third-place finish in the mile at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2009. He also helped his student-athletes to six USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors, 22 individual MVC Championship titles, seven Wichita State School Records, and three NCAA All-American performances.
Burns began his career at Loyola University in Chicago, where he graduated with his bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing in 1991. While there, he also donned the Ramblers' uniform, earning two NCAA All-American finishes in track and clocking the third-fastest indoor 3000-meter run time in the NCAA for 1990 (7:58.91). He also served as a two-time team captain.
After graduation, Burns spent five years working in sales before returning to his alma mater in 1996 to take over the head women’s cross country coaching position and ultimately the head of both the men’s and women’s for cross country and track & field from 2000-05. During his ten-year tenure at Loyola, Burns guided the men to their first NCAA Cross Country Championship team qualification (2005), claimed three Horizon League team titles, and pushed his athletes to excel in the classroom with three Academic All-Americans and 19 National All-Academic team honors.
Burns also coached 53 Horizon League Champions, 49 All-Conference performers, and 16 All-Region finishers.
Burns’ Achievements and Accolades
Prior to coaching, Burns was a decorated collegiate runner at Loyola, where in 2019 he was inducted into the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
His career is highlighted by being a member of Loyola’s 4x800 relay team which took home sixth at the 1989 NCAA Championships. He took home two All-America honors, including being a two-time All-American in the 4x800 relay.
Burns holds Top-10 program records in 11 indoor and outdoor events. Individually, he sits as high as second in the Ramblers record book, with an indoor 7:58.91 3,000m time in 1990. The performance earned him his third All-America honor. He and his relay team still hold four school indoor and outdoor records, including recording the first and second fastest times in school history in the 4x800 Relay during the historic 1989 season.
Burns was a two-time Midwestern Collegiate Conference champion in the indoor 5,000m race (1989,1990), and earned three All-Midwestern Collegiate Conference honors.
Personal
Burns lives in Ashland with his wife, Alana (Crisman), and four sons - Connor, Brian, Sean, and Cris.
