Junior at Idaho State University and guard for the men's basketball team,
AJ Burgin, will be graduating with his Bachelor's degree in Business Management with a cumulative GPA of 3.45 this spring. Following graduation, Burgin will work towards earning his Master's in Business Administration.
What is most impressive about Burgin balancing his on and off the court life so well, is that he is completing all credits necessary to graduate in just three years of hard work and dedication in the classroom, 50 units alone coming within the last calendar year, (Summer '23, Fall '23, Spring '24) while also playing a pivotal role for the Bengals on the court the past three seasons.
"Growing up, education was a huge thing for my parents." Burgin explains, "Since 6
th grade, the rule was if I didn't get a 4.0 I wasn't allowed to play basketball. At the same time, we weren't always the most financially well off, so going to a 4-year college was a huge goal.
My high school credits didn't transfer how I expected them to, so when I learned that, graduating from Idaho State in 3 years wasn't as far-fetched as I anticipated… I didn't redshirt, medical redshirt, or go through a COVID year, I only had 4 years of eligibility. Graduating in 3 years means that I can get a master's degree paid for via my athletic scholarship and that was all the motivation I needed."
"What
AJ Burgin has accomplished is amazing." says men's basketball Head Coach
Ryan Looney, "Our basketball family is so proud of him.
To graduate as an athlete in three years is a tremendous achievement. We are thrilled that he will get an opportunity to work on his MBA during his senior season."
This past season while helping guide Idaho State to their first Big Sky Semifinal Tournament appearance since 2009, Burgin would see career highs in almost every statistical category; points, rebounds, assists, steals, shooting percentage, and minutes.
When asked who has helped mentor him throughout his journey in academics and basketball, AJ responded, "The first name that comes to mind is
Austin Smellie." Smellie is a former Idaho State Basketball player who holds the Bengal Men's Basketball program All-Time record for games and minutes played, and was Burgin's teammate for his freshman and sophomore seasons. "He's a really stand-up guy. He is educated, married, and the definition of leading by example. He's one of the first people I called regarding advice for which graduate program I should apply to, and considering I'm in a two-and-a-half-year relationship, I often find myself asking "What would Austin do?"
Burgin has improved his game on and off the court each year he has been at Idaho State. Bengal fans should be excited to see what is to come of him during the 2024-25 season.
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