Men's Basketball Preps for New Season

It has been a busy summer for Pirate Basketball. The program has been actively placing players from last year's team, recruiting new talent, and restructuring the coaching support staff. Former staff members Cameron Belden and Dylan Brown have moved on to new opportunities—Belden accepted a position at Navy Federal, while Brown became the top assistant coach at the University of West Florida.

Head Coach Pete Pena expressed his appreciation for their contributions, stating, "I am very happy and proud of the job they both did for the Pirates."

The new coaching staff features a familiar face in Pensacola basketball: Jeff Burkhamer. Burkhamer previously served as the Head Coach at the University of West Florida. He brings extensive knowledge and experience to the team and was recently inducted into the Mid-Ohio Valley Hall of Fame in his hometown of Williamstown, West Virginia.

Joining him is Ed Lopez, who comes to Pensacola State College following a stint at the University of Houston under Coach Kelvin Sampson. Originally from Houston, Lopez served as the Head Manager for the Cougars and previously held the role of Graduate Assistant at the University of Buffalo for two years.

"We feel very fortunate to have two outstanding people and coaches in our program," said Coach Pena.