Navy wrestling coach Bruce Burnett, who has led the Mids to 10 or more dual wins in each of the last six years, is in his eighth season at the helm of the Navy wrestling program. Burnett came to Annapolis fresh off a coaching stint in Sydney, Australia, where he served as the United States Olympic Freestyle Coach at the 2000 Olympic Games. His athletes captured one gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

Last year, Navy turned in an 11-4 record, including a flawless 7-0 mark in EIWA competition. Along the way, the Mids captured wins over EIWA foes Lehigh, American and Bucknell, while also tournament titles at the All-Academy Championship and the Navy Classic. Additionally, Navy won eight of the 10 matches against Army to push the Mids' winning streak to seven in a row against the Black Knights. The Army win helped propel Navy into the EIWA Championship where the Mids finished second. It was the highest Navy had finished at the conference tournament since placing second in 1993-94. Meanwhile, juniors Matt Stolpinski (174) and Ed Prendergast (HWT) also stood atop the podium as the champion in their respective weight classes.

The year was capped off by sending six wrestlers to the NCAA Championship where Stolpinski became Navy's first All-American since Frank Edwards in 2002-03. Navy's 18th-place finish at the national tournament was its highest since Reg Wicks led the Mids to a 13th-place finish in 1989-90. Stolpinski's fourth-place finish at the National Championship was the highest a Navy wrestler has placed since Scott Schleicher's second-place finish at 158 pounds in 1990.

In 2005-06, Navy won 13 of its 15 duals, the most wins by a Navy team during his tenure. Five Midshipmen qualified for the NCAA Championship, where Navy placed 34th.

The 2004-05 edition of the Navy wrestling team was among the best in school history. Navy posted a 12-3 record, suffering its three losses at the hands of top 10-ranked foes Oklahoma, Nebraska and Lehigh. Navy finished third at the EIWA Championship and sent six wrestlers to the NCAA Tournament, the most since 1991. Navy also claimed the top spot in the Navy Classic (first time since 1997) and placed third at the highly-competitive Southern Scuffle.

In 2003-04, Burnett led the Mids to a 12-4 overall mark. Navy placed sixth in the EIWA Tournament, its third top-six finish in four years under Burnett.

Frank Edwards placed seventh at the 2003 NCAA Championship to garner All-America recognition as a junior. Edwards, who was Navy's lone qualifier that season, captured three of his five-NCAA victories by three points or less. Meanwhile, the Midshipmen turned in an 11-6 dual mark for the second straight season.

In Burnett's first season at the Academy, he helped guide Mark Conley to a fifth-place finish in the 141-pound weight class at the 2001 NCAA Championship and garner All-America honors. Conley, who won the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championship at 141 pounds two-straight seasons, battled to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championship in 2002. He was ranked No. 1 in the country for most of the season and was the first Navy wrestler to achieve All-America status since Greg Gingeleskie placed seventh at the 1998 NCAA Championship. Conley's fifth-place finish at the 2001 NCAA Championship is the highest for a Navy wrestler since 1994 when Dan Hicks placed fifth in the heavyweight division.

Burnett has helped prepare the United States' elite athletes for world and Olympic competition as the national freestyle coach since 1992. HIs resume is nothing short of impressive. His teams won five medals at the 1996 Olympic Games (three gold, one silver and one bronze) and eight medals at the 1999 Pan American Games (six gold, one silver and one bronze). His teams captured World Team Titles in 1993 and 1995, the World Cup of Wrestling in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 and the Pan American Championship in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996.

During that time, Burnett coached Kurt Angle, Tom Brands, Kendal Cross, Kevin Jackson, Brandon Slay and John Smith to Olympic gold medals, while cornering Terry Brands, Tom Brands, Angle, Jackson and Smith to World Championships.

He was named the Freestyle Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1996 and was named the United States Olympic Committee Elite Coach of the Year in 1996. He has been named a finalist for the 2004 Olympic Freestyle Staff.

At the conclusion of Navy's 2001-02 season, Burnett served as the head coach of the United States World Cup Team at the 2002 Freestyle World Cup of Wrestling Championship in Spokane, Wash.

Before taking over as head coach of the freestyle team, Burnett was the Associate Director of Programs and National Development Coach for USA Wrestling for three years. Burnett developed a national technique and training syllabus and was responsible for the United States age group world teams. During his time as the developmental coach, the age group teams won a total of 42 medals, an increase of 82 percent over the previous four years. Burnett also served on the 1992 Olympic Freestyle and Greco-Roman coaching staffs.

Burnett was an assistant coach at Oklahoma State from 1987-90 and in his four years with the Cowboys, OSU won two NCAA team titles, three Big Eight Conference titles and two National Dual Meet team titles.

Burnett got his coaching career started at Meridian High School in Meridian, Idaho, where he was the head coach from 1974-87. In his 14 years, Burnett had a stout record of 154-13-2 (.917). His teams won nine conference, six district and four state championships. Burnett built such a solid program at Meridian that his program grew from 23 wrestlers his first year to 119 his last season. He was named Idaho Coach of the Year six times.

Burnett is a 1973 graduate of Idaho State, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary education.

Burnett and his wife, Karen, live in Annapolis, Md.