COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's University junior point guard Andy Burns (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) and assistant coach Pat McKenzie '04 have been invited to take part in the USA D-III All-Star Brazilian tour this August.
The USA D-III All Stars are invited underclass men's players from across the country who were recognized as D3hoops.com All-Region or All-Conference by their NCAA Division III conferences. There are nine players on the roster.
A 2009-10 All-MIAC honorable mention selection, Burns led the MIAC (conference games only) in three-point shooting (.500, 34-68) and finished second on the team with 96 assists last winter. He averaged 8.7 points and 29.1 minutes per game.
McKenzie begins his fifth season as assistant basketball coach at Saint John's this fall. McKenzie joined the Johnnies after two seasons as director of basketball operations at Division I Wisconsin-Green Bay. As a collegiate player, McKenzie manned the point guard spot as a four-year letter-winner at SJU. He led the MIAC in assists as a senior and was a member of the Johnnies' NCAA Division III Sweet 16 team as a freshman. A Green Bay, Wis. native, McKenzie was named to the 2000 Green Bay Press Gazette All-Area team and was also tabbed Metro Player of the Year for his performance at Notre Dame Academy. McKenzie and his prep coach Tom Neises led the Tritons to three straight WISAA state tournament appearances. McKenzie graduated from Saint John's with a bachelor's degree in communication and also holds his master's degree in educational leadership.
The USA D-III tour runs from Aug. 3-12. The squad has orientation and practice Aug. 3-4 in Orlando, Fla., before flying to Sao Paulo, Brazil, for three consecutive contests in the city of Jundiai on Aug. 5-7. The teams will then travel to Rio de Janeiro for two more contests on Aug. 9-10. In Rio, the USA D-III team will be hosted by the Brazilian National Military team as it prepares for the World Military Basketball Championships in South Korea this September.
Aside from representing the USA on the hardwood, the trip will also provide the group of All-Stars with educational, social and cultural outreach opportunities within the communities they visit, and will also allow them to visit schools and historical sites throughout Brazil.
Thursday, Aug. 5
USA vs. Jundiai, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 6
USA vs. Piracicaba, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 7
USA vs. Esporte Clube Sao Caetano, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 9
USA vs. Brazil Military, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 10
USA vs. Clube Fluminense, 7:30 p.m.
USA D-3 Team
Marvin Billups, Jr. (Purchase College, N.Y.)
Doug Bissen (Buena Vista, Iowa)
Taylor Blum (Dubuque, Iowa)
Andy Burns (Saint John's)
David Golembiowski (SUNYIT)
Carl Hipp (Hamline)
Blake Mitchem (University of the Ozarks)
Nick Motta (Bridgewater State)
Nick Rose (Colorado College)
Head Coach – Brady Larson (Concordia-Moorhead)
Asst. Coach – Pat McKenzie (Saint John's)
