BRYANT UNIVERSITY

Chris Burns, an Assistant Coach at Bryant University, became the first openly gay coach in Division I men’s basketball Thursday. Burns told his story in a first-person essay for OutSports.com, and his journey was also documented in a detailed profile by USA Today’s Scott Gleeson and Erik Brady. According to the profile, Burns told Head Coach Tim O’Shea he was gay over a year ago, but he only recently informed players and other members of the program. In the personal essay for OutSports, Burns discussed how attending Nike’s LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) Sports Summit encouraged him to come out publicly. A former standout point guard at Bryant, Burns joined the Bulldogs’ coaching staff four seasons ago. – Alec Nathan, Bleacher Report, Read More