YEARS AS THE W HEAD COACH IN 2025-26: 5th
Mississippi University for Women announced Dean Burrows as the University's second head men's basketball coach in September of 2021. Burrows came to the Owls after serving as the head coach at Wesley College for six seasons and three more as an assistant in the program.
On July 21, 2025, Burrows also took on the duties as the Assistant Director of Athletics for the Owls. In his administrative role, Burrow serves as the primary point person for much of the Owls' athletics fundraising and donor cultivation efforts. Burrows will also assist A.D. Buddy Foster with departmental needs, such as scheduling, travel, budgets, gameday operations, and marketing strategies, to name a few.
2024-25 proved to be a historic campaign, as The W not only set a school record for victories (12-14), but also reached its first St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) post-season tournament. Dariun Doss was a second-team All-SLIAC and SLIAC All-Defensive Team selection, with teammate Eric Bass Jr. named the top 6th Man Award winner, with Josh Dukes a SLIAC All-Academic pick for the second-straight year. Additionally, the Owls' team was recognized, both nationally and locally, for its commitment to community service with a feature on the NCAA III website and receiving the MUW campus' award for its many collaborative efforts.
In 2023-24, Burrows ushered in the NCAA Division III era for The W men's basketball, as well as the University's first season as a member of the SLIAC. The Owls went 7-18 overall and posted a 3-15 mark in SLIAC games. Senior Brye Hopkins was a third-team All-SLIAC selection and Josh Dukes was honored as a member of the Academic All-Conference team.
The 2022-23 season was a memorable one as the Owls matched the school record for wins in a season (11) and made their first-ever post-season appearance in program history at the USCAA championship tournament. In addition to setting numerous offensive records along the way, The W team earned a pair of USCAA All-Americans in Thomas Wright (1st team) and Hopkins (HM).
In his first season at the Owls' helm in 2021-22 - beset by COVID issues (at one point playing just one game in a six-week span mid-season) - the team went 3-15. But fans received a glimpse into the future as Burrows' recruit Wright earned USCAA All-American honorable mention status. Additionally, Grayson Long was a USCAA All-Academic Team member.
Burrows helped Wesley to three NCAA Division III post-season tournament bids – one as the head coach (2019-20) and twice as an assistant (2012-13, 2013-14) – and had led the Wolverines to five-consecutive conference post-season tournaments from 2016-20 (there was no tournament in 2020-21 due to COVID-19). In 2019-20, Burrows' team won the Atlantic East Conference regular season (co-champion) and AEC tournament titles, posting an 18-10 record.
Burrows' players saw the fruits of their labor result in individual accolades at Wesley, as well. In the five full seasons played, Burrows-coached teams, produced seven all-conference awards, a conference Rookie of the Year, two Players of the Year and 13 Academic All-Conference citations. Burrows, and his assistants, were named as the AEC Coaching Staff of the Year in 2019-20.
Prior to his collegiate coaching career, Burrows spent 11 years as a high school coach. His first prep coaching job was at his alma mater, Salesianum School (Wilmington, Del.), where he served as an assistant for three years. He then spent five years as an assistant coach at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers, Fla., before returning to his native Delaware to take over the program at St. Thomas More Academy in Magnolia, Del.
He is also a noted clinician, annually working basketball camps along the east coast. Additionally, he is a published author for basketball publications. Burrows is an active member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).
Burrows and his wife Stefanie have four children: Isabella, Jaelynn, Trey, and Avery.
