MIAMI, Fla.- Head Coach Jesyka Burks-Wiley and the rest of the FIU women's basketball team has a chance to win the FIU Thanksgiving Classic tomorrow against the University of Massachusetts. Standing in the way, or on the sideline in this case, is a familiar face for Burks-Wiley. The associate head coach for UMASS, Mike Leflar, coached Burks-Wiley for all four of her years at Boston University.

Leflar coached at Boston University for 10 years, as an assistant coach from 2004-2012 and an associate head coach from 2012-2014.
 
"It definitely feels like a full circle moment coaching against Coach Leflar," said Burks-Wiley. "Him and the rest of the staff during my time at BU are a huge reason why I wanted to get into coaching. I had an unbelievable experience as a player and a student during my time at BU and have enjoyed paying it forward."
 
Burks- Wiley had an outstanding career at BU. After graduating in 2009, she became one of only eight players to record 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in their career. In her senior year (2008-2009) she averaged 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, earned America East Player of the Year honors, and was a Region I finalist for the 2009 State Farm Coaches' All-America Basketball Team.
 
"Jess always had a talent, she just always had the ability to score the basketball and was always in the right place at the right time," said Coach Mike Leflar. "For all four years, I think for her, the biggest thing as a freshman was just understanding the pace of the game and the commitment to working hard every single day in practice. Once she got that, her game just took. Obviously, coming into play at the college level is much different than high school, and everyone transitions differently. Seeing Jess pick up on that, especially at the end of her freshman year where she had a great conference tournament for us, and then she just took off sophomore, junior and senior year but she always had the talent. I think she just had to learn to play at the college pace."
 
Coach Leflar and the rest of BU's coaching staff played a big role on how Coach Burks-Wiley has transitioned from player to coach. A lot of those coaching traits and tendencies can be traced back to her time with Coach Leflar.
 
"Coach Leflar was always big about focus and intensity, and I have carried that same messaging into my time as a coach," said Burks-Wiley. "He did a great job of showing me how important it is to work intensely and consistently, and I try to make sure I develop my players to have that same mindset."

In her sophomore season (2006-2007) Burks-Wiley played in 20 games and had to miss some time due to injury. She ended the season averaging 4.2 points per game, but Burks-Wiley came back her junior year as one of the top players in the conference thanks to the help of Coach Mike Leflar. She started all 32 games and earned America East All-Conference Second Team honors. In that season, Burks-Wiley led the Terriers in scoring (13.2 ppg) and rebounding (5.8 rpg).
 
"I will forever be in debt to Coach Leflar and the rest of the staff I had at BU," said Burks-Wiley. "They helped my achieve things that I couldn't even fathom. Coach Leflar made sure every day that I was constantly working on being the best version of myself and that development allowed me to have a great career as a player but also gave me the blueprint on being a good mentor. I can't thank him enough for believing in me, even till this day he still lets me know how much he is in my corner. I strive to have that type of impact."
 
According to Coach Leflar, Burks-Wiley had a tremendous impact on his coaching career and to Boston University as a whole. Coach Leflar can look back at the four years Burks-Wiley was at BU as a memorable and formative time for both.
 
"I think when she stepped foot on to BU's campus, I talked with our post group about this, Jess was so great," said Coach Leflar. "She was such a connector; she was saying hi to everyone on campus and she was very noticeable. She helped our team chemistry as well. We had a great group of players come in her class and the four of them had great relationships in their four years at BU. I'm sure she coaches the same way, building relationships through the recruiting process, and she coaches with a lot of emotion, which I love."

The Panthers will be taking on the University of Massachusetts tomorrow in the championship game of th FIU Thanksgiving Classic at 1 p.m. in the Ocean Bank Convocation Center. 

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