GREENSBORO, N.C. – Guilford College athletics director Tom Palombo announced the addition of three assistant coaches to the Quakers' football team Monday. Treiston Burnette, David Clark '12 and Derek Jones round out second-year head coach Chris Rusiewicz's staff.
The Quakers' linebackers' coach, Burnette returns for his first official season as a defensive assistant on Guilford's staff. He worked as a student assistant with the team in 2011. Burnette started his college career at Guilford where he played football and baseball for the Quakers during the 2006-07 academic year. He earned his bachelor's degree from the neighboring University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2012. Burnette majored in parks and recreation management with a concentration in leisure service management. He spent two years as a football operations intern with the Atlantic Coast Conference where he monitored games from the league's command center and also helped with league media day and championship festivities.
Burnette was a standout football and baseball player at Jordan Matthews High School in Siler City, N.C. He earned All-Chatham County and team Most Valuable Player recognition in both sports. Burnette was an all-state baseball player in 2005.
The Greensboro resident also works as a personal athletic trainer for youth and volunteers with the Greensboro Giants Pop Warner Football Club.
Clark will direct with the Quakers' running backs in his first official season on Rusiewicz's staff. The 2012 Guilford grad lettered his first two college years as a reserve offensive lineman before spending his final two seasons as a student assistant coach. Clark mentored offensive linemen and provided valuable scouting and recruiting assistance.
Clark grew up in Kings Mountain, N.C., and earned his degree from Guilford in exercise and sport studies with a minor in education. He was a three-year letter winner in football and wrestling at Kings Mountain High School and received the school's Hall of Fame Scholarship in 2007.
Jones starts his college football coaching career as the Quakers' cornerbacks coach in 2012. He graduated with honors and earned his bachelor's degree in sport and health sciences from the American Public University System in 2011. Jones played football at Coalfield High School in Tennessee and has worked as a personal fitness trainer and technology support specialist. He also competed for Coalfield's 1998 state championship baseball team.
Guilford was picked sixth in the preseason Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Coaches' Poll. The Quakers return 39 letter winners from last year's 2-8 team and open the 2012 campaign this Saturday night (9/1) at 7:00 p.m. against visiting Greensboro College in the 16th annual Gate City Soup Bowl.