East Texas A&M University Athletics

Jason Burton is the eighth coach in program history and is entering his ninth year in 2022-23 at the helm of the Texas A&M-Commerce women's basketball program. During the 2019-20 season, Burton became the all-time winningest coach in program history. He holds the program records for wins, conference wins and winning percentage.

Under Burton, five Lions have been named All Americans. He has coached three one LSC and South Central Region Player of the Year, three Freshmen of the Year, one Sixth Woman of the Year, three All-Region players, 24 All-Conference players and five of his players have been named to the All-Defensive Team.

Burton guieded the Lions to reach the program-best ranking of No. 2 in the WBCA poll and No. 1 in the D2SIDA rankings during the 2021-22 season. The Lions advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight season and played in the LSC Championship game for the third year in a row. A&M-Commerce downed the Colorado School of Mines in the NCAA Tournament to advance to the South Central Regional Semifinal. A&M-Commerce finished the season leading the country in free throws made and third in rebounding. 

The Lions won 27 games in 2021-22, which are the second most in program history. Guard Dyani Robinson was named the South Central Region Most Outstanding Player of the Year, the first honor in program history and she was also named Lone Star Conference Player of the Year, the program's first since 2008. Freshman forward Laila Lawrence was named Sixth Woman of the Year and also named third team all-LSC. Robinson was named to the first team all-conference, DesiRay Kernal was named to second team all-LSC, and Chania Wright was named to third team along with Lawrence. 

In the 2020-21 season, the Lions went 14-4 in the shortened season plauged by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lions were ranked in the top-25 throughout the season. A&M-Commerce won the LSC North Divison regular season championship and earned the No. 2 in the LSC Tournament. The Lions went to the LSC Tournament final for the second season in a row. In the NCAA Tournament, the Lions won their first tournament game since 2008 and advanced to the South Central Regional Semifinal. Five Lions were named to all-LSC teams and Juliana Louis was named to the all-LSC Defensive team. Dyani Robinson and DesiRay Kernal were named honorable mention All-Americans by the WBCA, the program's fourth and fifth All-Americans under Burton's leadership. 

During the 2019-20 season, Burton led the Lions to their most successful season under his tenure, earning LSC Coach of the Year honors for the first time in his career. The team went 28-3, tying the program's record for most wins in a single season. The team qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row, the first time in program history the team had made back-to-back tournament appearances. The team set records for wins in a season (28), wins in a regular season (26), conference wins (20), most wins in a row (25), best scoring margin (+18.4), lowest scoring defense (56.8) and highest national ranking (3rd). The team won its first 25 games of the year, and finished the season as the No. 1 seed in the LSC with a 20-2 record in conference games. The team would go on to reach the LSC Championship final for the second time in program history, falling to Lubbock Christian. The Lions qualified for the NCAA Tournament as the second seed in the region, their highest ever seed in the NCAA Regionals. Unfortunately, the Regional Tournament was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns, ending the Lions' season prematurely.

All five primary starters earned LSC Defensive Player of the Week during the 2019-20 season, the first time in the LSC's recorded history that five different players on the same team earned Player of the Week honors in the same season. Alexis Bryant earned Defensive Player of the Week honors three times, and was a First Team All-LSC selection as well as a Second Team All-Region honoree. Chania Wright was named Second Team All-LSC while Dyani Robinson became the third player under Burton to earn Freshman of the Year honors. Robinson was named Third Team All-LSC while Maddison Glass and Alexus Jones both were named Honorable Mention All-LSC. Bryant went on to earn D2CCA All-Region status while Wright was named an Honorable Mention WBCA All-American. 

During the 2018-19 season, Burton led the Lions to their first appearance in the NCAA Regional Tournament since the 2006-07 season, and just its second ever appearance. The team won 20 games for the second time in three seasons, and for just the third time in program history. The team finished with a record of 20-11, including a 14-6 record in conference, tying the most conference wins in a single season in program history. The team finished at or above .500 for the fifth consecutive year, setting a program record for consecutive winning seasons. The team finished tied for third in the conference standings and advanced to the second round of the LSC Tournament after defeating Eastern New Mexico in the first round. The team qualified for the NCAA Regional Tournament as the seventh seed, falling to Colorado Mesa in the first round. As an alumni of Austin College, Burton was awarded the 2019 Austin College Alumni Coach of the Year award after leading the Lions back to the post season.

Under Burton, Princess Davis earned Second Team All-LSC honors while Chania Wright was named to the conference Third Team. Davis went on to break multiple records including most minutes played and most games started. 

In 2017-18, the Lions went 18-12 under Burton, claiming third place in the LSC, their highest mark under Burton to that point. The team finished at .500 or better for the fourth consecutive season, only the second time in school history the team had such sustained success. The Lions went 13-7 in LSC play and defeated every team in the conference at least once for the second consecutive year. The team advanced to the semifinal round of the LSC Tournament after defeating Cameron in the first round.

Under Burton, Brianna Wise and Princess Davis were named Honorable Menion All-Americans by the WBCA, the first All-America selections for the program since the 2008-09 season. Wise was named First Team All-LSC as well as a First Team All-Region selection. She was also named to the All-Tournament Team. Artaejah Gay was named Second Team All-LSC while Davis was named Third Team All-LSC.

In 2016-17, A&M-Commerce enjoyed one of the most successful seasons in its history. The team finished the season with a 20-9 record, just the second season in history the Lions had reached the 20-win mark. The team had wins over every team in the Lone Star Conference, finishing 14-6 in league play, the highest conference win total in program history. The team finished 11-2 at home and was the fourth seed in the LSC postseason tournament. Burton helped the team overcome two season-ending injuries to starters that happened early in the season.

Under Burton, Jenna Price was named 2016 Freshman of the Year, the second time in three seasons an A&M-Commerce player won the award. Price was also an Honorable Mention All-LSC selection. Brianna Wise made the LSC All-Defensive Team, the third consecutive season a Lion was named to the team. Artaejah Gay was named Second Team All-LSC and Khala Riley was Third Team All-LSC. Krystal Pickron was also an Honorable Mention All-LSC selection.

Burton led the Lions to a 16-13 record in 2015-16- their first winning season since 2008-09. Princess Davis was selected to the All-Defensive Team while also being All-LSC Honorable Mention. Shomari Harris, Gabby Scott, and Artaejah Gay also were named All-LSC Honorable Mention.

In his opening season in 2014-15, Burton led the Lions to a 14-14 overall record and a surprise trip into the LSC Tournament Semifinals following an upset-victory over No. 3 seeded Cameron. The 14-14 record marked just the sixth time A&M-Commerce women's basketball had finished a season .500 or better since the LSC began sponsoring the sport in 1982. He was also the first coach to finish at .500 or better in their first season.

In addition to leading his team to success in his first year at the helm, student-athletes also found prestige at an individual level. Princess Davis secured LSC Freshman of the Year acclaim and found herself selected to the WDIIB All-Freshman Team, while fellow guard Ashlee Johnson had a career year en route to becoming the first selection to the LSC All-Defensive Team in program history. Newcomer Gabby Scott pulled down an LSC Honorable Mention honor, and senior La'Tisha Hearne became the first player in program history to win both LSC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors in the same season.

In addition to his leadership for Lion Women's Basketball, Burton has also been a presenter at multiple NCAA and WBCA events during his tenure. In the summer of 2016, Burton spoke at the NCAA Career in Sport Forum and was invited to represent the Lone Star Conference at the NCAA Division II Identity Workshop at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis. Burton has since spoken at the forum in each of the last four years (2016-19). He was also a presenter at the  2019 WBCA convention 'So You Want To Be A Coach' program, a program for collegiate basketball players looking to become coaches after their playing careers.

Burton, a Plano native and former assistant under men's head coach Sam Walker, returned to Commerce in 2014 after a three-year stint away that included two years as a men's assistant coach at Texas State and a year as the head boys head coach at McKinney Boyd High School.
 
While coaching the Lion men, Burton helped A&M-Commerce compile a 68-43 record in four seasons with the Lions. He came to Commerce in 2007 as an assistant coach and helped the Lions to winning records in each of his final three years, making the Lone Star Conference Tournament in all four tries and the tournament's title game in 2008.

In that time he recruited three all-Americans and three LSC Newcomers of the Year, including Scooby Johnson (2008), Deundrae Spraggins (2009) and Desmond King (2011). Burton also lured in seven LSC All-Conference selections, and two LSC Freshman of the Year in Brad Hambrick (2009) and Preston Whitley (2010).

In 2010 he was elevated to the position of associate head coach during his final two seasons in Commerce, where he helped the Lions to a 37-17 record before moving on to become an assistant coach at Texas State for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. 

Burton received his BA in Business Administration and Management from Austin College in 2007. He would go on to receive his MBA in the same field from A&M-Commerce in 2009.

Burton married Alexyndra Guiton on August 12, 2016 and their son Braylon was born on July 16, 2019. Burton also has two brothers (Brian and Darien).

Burton's Career Coaching Record

Year	School	Record	Pct.	Conf.	Pct.	Postseason
2014-15	A&M-Commerce	14-14	.500	7-9	.438	LSC Semifinals
2015-16	A&M-Commerce	16-13	.552	9-7	.562	LSC Quarterfinals
2016-17	A&M-Commerce	20-9	.690	14-6	.700	LSC Quarterfinals
2017-18	A&M-Commerce	18-12	.600	13-7	.650	LSC Semifinals
2018-19	A&M-Commerce	20-11	.645	14-6	.700	LSC Semifinals, NCAA Regional Quarterfinals
2019-20	A&M-Commerce	28-3	.903	20-2	.909	LSC Finals, NCAA Regional Qualifier
2020-21	A&M-Commerce	14-4	.778	11-2	.846	LSC Finals, NCAA Regional Semifinals
2021-22	A&M-Commerce	27-5	.844	12-3	.800	LSC Finals, NCAA Regional Semifinals
8 seasons	TOTALS	157-71	.689	100-41	.709