The Portland State women’s basketball program opened a new era as Athletic Director Matt Billings announced Karlie Burris as the Vikings’ new head coach.
Burris comes to the Vikings after being part of a highly successful four-year stretch at UNLV from 2021-25. Serving as an assistant coach under Lindy La Rocque, Burris helped lead the Lady Rebels to four straight Mountain West Conference regular-season titles, as well as three Mountain West Conference tournament titles in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
The Lady Rebels posted back-to-back 30-win seasons in 2022-23 and 2023-24. The successful run saw the Lady Rebels return to the AP Top 25 for the first time in 29 seasons on Feb. 13, 2023. They earned their highest AP ranking during Burris’ tenure at No. 20 on March 18, 2024. UNLV also made its first appearance in the final ESPN/USA Today/WBCA Coaches Top 25 in over 30 years at the end of the 2023-24 season, finishing the year at No. 24.
“We are extremely excited to bring Karlie into our Viking family. She’s been a key component in a winning culture the past four seasons at UNLV. Moreover, at every stage of the interview process, she displayed a dedication, focus and preparedness that will help turn around our women’s basketball program,” Billings said of Burris.
Burris led a dynamic group of posts at UNLV that included two-time Mountain West Conference Player of the Year and Lisa Leslie Award Top 10 Finalist Desi-Rae Young. Young was also the first UNLV player in two decades to earn WBCA All-America honorable mention. Additionally, Burris led Nneka Obiazor and Meadow Roland to Mountain West Conference Sixth Player of the Year awards following the 2021-22 and 2024-25 seasons, respectively. Roland was also named Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year this past season.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to be named the new head women’s basketball coach at Portland State University. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Athletic Director Matt Billings, Senior Woman Administrator Jasmine Miller and the entire search committee for their belief and confidence in me to lead this program. I would also like to thank Lindy La Rocque for her mentorship and the invaluable experience I gained while winning championships at UNLV. That experience has played a pivotal role in preparing me for this incredible opportunity,” Burris said.
“I am thrilled to join the Portland State community and cannot wait to lead the women’s basketball program to new heights. Together, we will work hard, compete with passion, and create a winning culture that everyone can be proud of.”
As a recruiter, Burris helped sign Teagan Colvin, an ESPN Top 100 recruit, for UNLV. She also recruited and coached 2020 Big West Player of the Year, Raina Perez during three seasons as an assistant coach at Cal State Fullerton from 2017-20. Perez went on to be named a Nancy Lieberman Award Top 10 Finalist at NC State in 2021.
In addition to her work with Lopez, Burris developed post player Daeja Smith into a two-time All-Big West selection and Lisa Leslie Award Watch List honoree while at Cal State Fullerton. She also mentored 2019 Big West Sixth Player of the Year Amiee Book.
Burris holds prior experience within the Big Sky Conference, having served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Northern Arizona from 2012-17. She recruited two Big Sky Freshmen of the Year out of her four recruiting classes at NAU between Brittani Lusain (2014) and Alyssa Rader (2016).
Burris also has roots in Portland having played collegiately under Jim Sollars at the University of Portland from 2005-09. She was a two-time All-West Coast Conference honorable mention, helping lead the Pilots to their first postseason appearance in 10 seasons as a senior where they lost to Portland State in the first round of the WNIT.
https://goviks.com/news/2025/4/4/WBB_20250403.aspx
