Barton College head football coach Chip Hester has announced the addition of Treiston Burnette as the program’s defensive coordinator and the first assistant hired for the newly-formed team.
Burnette, a Siler City native and Jordan-Matthews graduate, comes to Barton after spending the past two years (2017-18) as Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach at Averett University, an NCAA Division III school in Danville, Va.
For Burnette, it was all about the opportunity for the 31-year old and his family.
“It was hard to leave the kids at Averett, this graduating class came in with me and the relationships and bonds you have with them are what makes coaching special,” said Burnett. “We had a great deal of success, and turned around a program that had never really won. So I’m very proud of our accomplishments.”
But the opportunity presented at Barton was too much to pass on for Burnette.
“Honestly it was a combination of factors, it’s the chance to start a new program, moving up to Division II, coaching with Chip Hester and practicing every day against a great offensive mind,” noted Burnette. “And for my family, it’s the chance to continue building a better life for them.”
That family includes Jessica Beal Burnette, a Siler City native and Jordan-Matthews grad as well, and son’s Maddox, four, and Mason, who turns one on Thursday of this week.”
“Coaching scholarship football at the collegiate level has always been my dream, and now I have that opportunity, and I want to make the best of it. It’s a lot of hard work, but I couldn’t make it without my wife Jessica. If you don’t have a woman like her supporting you and your family, you won’t be successful.”
This past season, Averett had their best record in school history at 8-2 while Burnette guided the conference’s top defensive unit, allowing a meager 12.9 points per game.
Averett’s defense produced 13 All-USA South Conference selections the past two seasons including the 2018 league defensive rookie of the year. The Cougars also allowed just 13.8 points per game on average in 2017 and 2018 and won a combined 14 contests.
“We are very fortunate to have Treiston (Burnette) at Barton College,” said Hester. “He is an experienced and successful defensive coordinator that believes in developing young people in all aspects of their lives.”
Prior to Averett, Burnette spent five years on the coaching staff at Guilford, an NCAA Division III school in Greensboro, N.C., holding the following positions: defensive backs coach (2011, 2013-14), linebackers coach (2012) and co-defensive coordinator (2015-16).
The last two years as coordinator with the Quakers, Guilford went 17-3 and coached Satiir Stevenson and Jermario Gooch to All-American honors, while also coaching Hunter Causey and Jalen Wiley of Jordan-Matthews.
Burnette also served as a football operations intern for the Atlantic Coast Conference (2008-10).
Burnette lettered one year in both football and baseball at Guilford. Burnette earned his bachelor’s degree at UNC Greensboro in 2012.
Barton is scheduled to begin intercollegiate play in 2020. The school is fielding its first team since 1950 (then known as Atlantic Christian College).
