The Journey: Becky Burke says move to Arizona 'felt right'

On3’s Talia Goodman is showcasing women’s college basketball coaches taking over at new schools. This is the ninth edition of year two of the series – in which we’ll take a deeper look at some of the 60-plus coaches who took over new programs during a turbulent offseason. This time we learn more about Becky Burke, the new head coach at Arizona.

Becky Burke bio

HOMETOWN: Clarks Summit, PA
EXPERIENCE: 2022-25: Buffalo, 2020-22: USC Upstate, 2018-20: Charleston (D-II), 2016-18: Embry-Riddle, 2014-15: Saint Joseph’s (asst.)
PLAYED: Louisville (2008-12)

Why Arizona?

After a phenomenal 2024-25 season at Buffalo with a program-record 30 wins and a WNIT title, there were several opportunities that came Burke’s way. But taking over the reins at Arizona was the perfect fit. 

“This one felt right,” Burke said. “This felt like the best opportunity to go somewhere that we’re going to be able to have success and be supported by our administration. It’s also an area of the country that my family and I were very, very excited about. There were a lot of things that made sense about this opportunity that didn’t make sense about some of the other ones. The brand of Arizona basketball speaks for itself.” 

When Burke has chosen to take over at any program, she approaches it in two ways – first as a coach, and then as if she’s a recruit. As a coach, she asks: will the athletic director support women’s basketball and provide the tools to be successful? 

“That answer was very clearly ‘yes’ from the beginning,” she said. 

Then, as a recruit. 

“Is this somewhere that, as a high-level player myself, I’d want to go?” she asks herself. “I’ve been through that process. I know what that feels like. So is the campus, the resources, the environment – is this a place I’d be excited about as a player? When I got my feet on campus and saw what Tucson is all about – there’s no reason, when you’re at a place like Arizona, you cannot recruit the best players in the country. For me, that was the biggest appeal.” 

Coaching philosophy and culture

This is an entirely new Arizona roster and Burke, while she runs a tight ship, has stressed the importance of having fun together and building up that chemistry early. 

“We’re balancing that,” she told On3. “Are you having fun with them? Do they know you care about them? Do they look back when you’re done coaching them and say, ‘Holy cow, I’m better because I played for Coach Burke’?…We want to create that environment of structured discipline. There is a standard here at Arizona and you’re going to be held to that standard, but we’re also having a lot of fun.” 

When building up her roster, time was limited. Many of the high-level transfer portal entries had already committed to new programs, but Burke was really proud of the group she assembled. 

And there’s a certain type of player she looks for when adding to her team. 

“It’s gritty and hard-nosed,” Burke said. “I’ll take the three-and-a-half star that’ll run through a wall for me over the five-star that’s pretty buttoned-up and needs to be coddled. That’s my type and who I can coach, who works well in our system. We’ve got a bunch of gritty kids that are going to run through a wall, who love each other and appreciate the opportunity to be here at Arizona. Nobody’s going to play harder than us.” 

Something you may not know about Burke

While Burke may present a tough shell on the court, her soft side comes out easily when she’s around her family. She has a 16-month-old son and she didn’t even know that side existed until he was born. 

“There’s a softer, more emotional side,” Burke said. “If you haven’t seen me in the last two years, I think there’s more of that. I think becoming a mom will really bring that out in you. Whether you like it or not, I’m a softie. He walks in the room and gets whatever he wants. I’m not like that with anything else.”