King mourns the passing of Dale Burns

With sadness we report the death Tuesday of Dale Burns, King alumnus and former athletic director. He was 74.

A 1969 King graduate, Burns started at point guard for four years at King, playing for Hall of Fame coach Al Nida. Burns was inducted to the King Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017 as a member of the 1968-69 men's basketball team, which finished 18-4 and won King's first-ever Volunteer State Athletic Conference championship.

Burns returned to his alma mater in 2005 as athletic director, helping lead King through the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II. He was instrumental in starting cycling, women's wrestling and men's volleyball as varsity sports, which have combined for 10 national championships, three Conference Carolinas championships, and two Olympians in the past eight years. 

Prior to returning to King, Burns spent 27 years as the head boys' basketball coach at Tennessee High School, winning 505 games and leading the Vikings to four state tournaments. He was also the architect of the Arby's Classic, one of the top high school basketball tournaments in the country, which annually attracts teams from across the country to Bristol. Read more about Dale's career at Tennessee High and the Arby's Classic here.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this difficult time.