Dave Burgess ’78, Overland Park, Kan. From 1974-78, Dave Burgess literally “ran away” from the field. An outstanding cross country runner, Burgess was part of the 1975 and 1976 McPherson College cross country teams that won KCAC championships. In 1977, he was the individual KCAC cross country champion, and the following spring was named Most Valuable Male Athlete at the KCAC track and field championships after sweeping the 1500m, 3000m steeplechase, and 5000m run. He was a three-time selection to the All-KCAC cross country team; a seven-time selection to the All-KCAC track team; and a four-time selection to the All-District 10 track team. During his college career, Burgess also qualified to the NAIA national championships in cross country, and both indoor and outdoor track events.

Following graduation from McPherson College, Burgess coached cross country and track and field on the high school, junior college, and university levels in the state of Kansas. In 1984, he began serving as head men and women’s cross country and track coach at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kan. During the next 15 years, Burgess’s coaching abilities would result in 33 conference championships, 10 regional and three national championships; 30 individual national champions; 338 All-American selections; six national track records; three World Deaf Olympics records by Wendell Gaskin; individual selections to the USA Olympic Trials in track and field; and Burgess’s own selection to the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1998. He was also named Kansas College/University Track Coach of the Year six times, and selected by the United States Olympic Committee and USA Track and Field as a coach for the following USA track teams: the 1992 World Championships, 1993 Pan American championships, and the 1993 Deaf Olympics Championships.

Burgess remains in Overland Park and currently serves as academic director and program manager for the new HPER/athletic facility located on the Johnson County Community College campus.