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Erik Burstein
Erik Burstein will be entering his 16th season at the helm of the Kutztown University women's soccer program in 2023.
Burstein has transformed Kutztown women's soccer into a nationally-acclaimed program, with the Golden Bears qualifying for the NCAA Division II Championship tournament ten times under his watch and appearing in the United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) National Poll in each of the past 13 seasons. KU reached the DII national semifinals in 2016 and ascended to No. 1 in the national coaches poll for first time in program history during the 2017 season.
Burstein holds a 206-80-22 (.705) overall record at Kutztown and has won over 70% of conference games against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opponents, going 154-55-14 (.722).
The winningest coach in program history, Burstein earned his 200th career victory at KU in a 2-0 victory over Millersville on Sept. 24, 2022. Entering the 2022 season, he ranked 24th among active Division II coaches in win percentage (.669) and 23rd in victories (218). He was 33rd in win percentage and tied for 48th in overall victories among DII coaches all-time. Burstein is a three-time KU Coach of the Year (2014, 2015, 2017), the 2017 PSAC Coach of the Year, and was named the PSAC East Coach of the Year in 2021.
Kutztown made its second-deepest run into the NCAA Tournament in the 2022 season. Despite an up-and-down regular season, followed by an exit in the PSAC Tournament quarterfinals, the Golden Bears knocked off Frostburg State and Gannon to advance to the Atlantic Region Final in the Sweet 16 for only the second time in program history. They ultimately fell to No. 2 West Chester 1-0 in the Atlantic Region Final.
Academically, Burstein's Golden Bears set a program-record in 2021 with 28 PSAC Scholar-Athletes. On the pitch, the Golden Bears had one of their most successful seasons in program history, finishing 17-1-2 overall and 15-1 in the PSAC, the most wins in the conference in their history and second-most victories behind the 20 Burstein led the group to in 2016. KU also won the PSAC East regular season title for the first time since 2004.
Kutztown claimed its first NCAA Atlantic Region Championship in 2016, overcoming a two-goal deficit to defeat West Chester, 3-2, on the road in the regional title game. The Maroon and Gold blanked Bridgeport, 1-0, in the national quarterfinals to advance to the Final Four for the first time in school history. KU ended the historic season with a 20-5 record (13-3 in the PSAC), while setting school records for overall wins, regular season wins (15), PSAC wins and NCAA Championship tournament wins in a season (three). The Golden Bears also matched program records for shutouts (13) and longest winning streak (nine).
For their efforts, Burstein and assistant coach Kelly Bushe were named the Atlantic Region Coaching Staff of the Year by the NSCAA.
The very next season, 2017, Kutztown started 13-0 to establish the program's longest ever winning streak and reached No. 1 in the NSCAA National Poll. KU went on to lead the PSAC in scoring offense at 2.71 goals per game.
Burstein set the program record for wins on Oct. 8, 2014, in a 2-0 clean sheet against Seton Hill. Six days later, on Oct. 14, the veteran coach won his 100th game at the helm of the Golden Bears.
Burstein mentored the program's two Atlantic Region and PSAC Offensive Athletes of the Year: Sam Costello in 2014, and Emily Zwiercan in 2017. For his career, Burstein has coached 62 All-PSAC selections, 73 All-Region honorees (45 NSCAA/United Soccer Coaches; 28 Daktronics/D2CCA), two PSAC Freshmen of the Year, a PSAC Defensive Player of the Year and the program's eight All-Americans.
Kutztown has won 10 or more games in 20 straight seasons, including all 15 seasons Burstein has presided over the program. In 2013, KU won its first-ever NCAA tournament game by downing West Chester, 2-0, in the first round of the Atlantic Regional.
Under Burstein, KU has made four trips to the PSAC title game (2009, 2011, 2014, 2016) and reached the semifinals on six occasions (2009-11, 2014, 2016-17).
Three of Burstein's teams have set the program's record for wins in a season, most recently in 2016 when the Golden Bears won 20 games. In 2011, KU won a then-record 16 games and the 2009 Golden Bears won a then-record 15 times. Notably in 2009, 13 of the 15 victories were by shutout, which stood alone as a school record for shutouts in a season until the 2016 team equaled it. The 2018 season saw the KU defense allow its fewest goals in a season with nine.
Burstein is also the current head coach for the Lehigh Valley Tempest of the Women's Premier Soccer League. The WPSL is a national women's soccer league in the United States and Puerto Rico, and is on the second level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, below National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and roughly equal with United Women's Soccer (UWS). The WPSL is the largest women's soccer league in the world (in terms of number of clubs).
At the club level, Burstein has coached for FC Revolution, Lehigh Valley United (LVU) and Western Lehigh United. In 2012, he guided the LVU 97 Girls to the EPYSA Presidents Cup State Championship, the US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup Region I Championship and a third-place finish at the US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup National Championships.
Kutztown marks Burstein's second collegiate head coaching stop. He spent three seasons at Rutgers-Newark in the tough New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), compiling a three-year record of 23-29-2 (.444) between 2003-05. The Scarlet Raptors finished with a winning record for the first time in program history in 2004, going 10-7-1. Burstein was also an assistant for the program in 2002. He departed Rutgers-Newark to join the staff at Division I Bowling Green State University as an assistant in 2006.
With the Falcons, Burstein's primary focus was defenders and goalkeepers. Bowling Green produced its best defensive numbers in the program’s 10-year history in 2006, allowing its fewest goals, producing its most shutouts and boasting the league’s leading goalkeeper in goals against average.
Burstein began his coaching career in 1997, leading the Ohio-based Greater Akron Premier and West Akron Soccer Club U14 boys teams. He was also an assistant coach at Median Highland High School. Burstein spent time as director of coaching/player development with the Lakehurst-Manchester Soccer Association (2000-02) and on the coaching staff with the New Jersey Olympic Development Program (2002-06).
From 2003-04, Burstein was an assistant coach with the Jersey Shore Boca F.C. of the United Soccer League: Premier Development League.
An accomplished goalkeeper during his playing days, Burstein was a two-time all-conference, all-county and all-state first-team selection at his alma mater, Toms River East High School. He was a Mid-Atlantic All-America selection as a senior in 1994.
Burstein played professionally, both domestically and internationally. He was a member of the Brooklyn Italians Professional Soccer team in 1991, before joining Leyton Orient F.C. (English 3rd Division) from 1994-95. He played for the New Jersey Youth Soccer State Cup Champion Jersey Shore Boca F.C. in 1992 and 1994, and earned a spot on the Olympic Development Program at both the state (New Jersey) and regional (Region I) levels from 1990-94.
He currently holds USSF National "B", National Goalkeeping and Youth licenses, as well as United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeping Level III National and Youth diplomas.
Burstein is a 2002 graduate of Stockton University (formerly Richard Stockton College), with a degree in communications. He and wife, Brigitte, have two sons, Gavin and Travis.
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