When Morgan Burke was hired by former Purdue president Dr. Stephen Beering in the fall of 1992, few people in the athletic world knew who he was.
But nearly 28 years later, one thing was clear. It was re-affirmed by those that knew him well that the former athletics director left an indelible mark not only on Purdue athletics, but on the student-athletes and coaches that made it all happen.
Burke's sudden passing on June 15 left those close to him stunned, with nothing to do but to reflect on his impact.
"Morgan got us back on the map, he got us respect,' said Cathy Wright-Eger, who served as women's swim coach and then as the lead for the Wooden Leadership Institute during Burke's tenure. But Wright-Eger said Burke knew how to push buttons so that those around him earned the respect they were looking for.
"He was true to himself," Wright-Eger said. "He was a feisty go-getter, in your face, let's go, you can do better. You can do more. He got a lot out of everyone that he touched."
Rosevelt Colvin and Cathy Wright-Eger talk about the life and times of Morgan Burke.
For Rosevelt Colvin, who starred as a defensive end at Purdue from 1995-98 before embarking on a highly success NFL career, that relationship only grew from his playing days. And Monday became a difficult day when he heard the news.
"It’s the same type of feeling I had when I heard Coach Tiller passed (in 2017)," Colvin said. "They are two people that have influenced me, that have given me the platform, that have given me the criteria to build who Rosevelt Colvin is to this day. Morgan Burke is definitely one of those individuals who has supported me and I’m very appreciative to him and his family."
Burke was always looking for a way outside of the field of competition to connect with his student-athletes. And it could come in a variety of ways. The connection with Colvin was cemented during Colvin's playing days, in part because he shared something important with Burke's wife Kate.
"Kate and I both were Broad Ripple grads, so we would sing the fight song together," Colvin said. "We had some fun with that."
Not surprisingly, Olympic gold medalist diver David Boudia said his relationship with Burke was forged by Burke's affinity and desire to get beyond the surface. It was a critical trait for Burke to connect and know the student-athletes.
"The reason why he was able to accomplish things is because he valued relationships," said Boudia, who has won four medals at the Olympics and hopes to add to that total in 2021 in Tokyo. "Whether you were a walk-on swimmer or this random track and field athlete, he wasn't looking for a transaction. He wasn't talking to you in exchange for something else."
Boudia recalled a moment with Burke after he had won gold in the the 2012 games in London. While Boudia was training, he would see Burke often at the Holloway Pool on campus, in part because Burke swam there religiously as the crux of his exercise regiment.
David Boudia emotionally reflected on Burke and also touched on his training progress as he readies for his fourth Olympics hopefully next year.
"He always looked at me as a person and always would say, 'It's awesome to win a gold medal, but keep going. Don’t settle, '" Boudia said. "He would say there's bigger things out there in life, and that always made me think."
It was that drive for improvement, or just plain drive, that rubbed off on people that Burke surrounded himself. Boudia recalled talking to Burke about a shortcoming in the design of the 10-meter platform at the aquatic center that now bears Burke's name. It wasn't wide enough for synchronized diving; an event that Boudia and fellow Boilermaker All-American Steele Johnson would reach world class status in leading up to the '16 Olympics
"The very first thing, he was like, 'We're going to make this better,"' Boudia said. "So that's what he was. He was a cultivator. He wasn't pleased (with the status quo). He wasn’t settling for just good enough. He was such a competitor at heart."
That doesn't mean it was always smooth sailing when dealing with Burke. The boss was no pushover, and at times hyper-frugal. He made justification necessary and would challenge others when determining wants versus needs. To use a basketball term, there were no uncontested layups for coaches and administrators when dealing with Burke.
Wright-Eger and Burke didn't always see eye-to-eye and their relationship was, at times, challenging. They were opposites in a lot of ways. Yet, Wright-Eger said Burke was always about getting better, improving things. Even if some of those things that needed improving was Burke himself.
"He was very results-oriented, and I'm very people-oriented," said Wright-Eger, who used a personality assessment tool with Burke that helped the two better understand one another. "All of a sudden (after taking the assessment), he started seeing it through my lens, and I saw it through his. We both took two steps in and talked about it. It really made a huge difference in our relationship.
"He told me not to be so emotional, and I told him to be a little bit more emotional. He listened to me when I said to him , 'Sometimes, your coaches would like to be treated like you treat the athletes. You love them. But with the coaches, you're like, 'get over there and do better. Do this and do that.' "
Wright-Eger told Burke that it wouldn't hurt his relationship with coaches and staff if he said 'thank you' a bit more often. A week later, Burke came into Wright-Eger's office and said "thank you."
"And all of a sudden, he was doing that with a lot of other coaches, and that made a difference," Wright-Eger said. "Morgan had the ability to alter and improve himself."
Burke will forever be remembered as a huge fan and cheerleader. Colvin recalled visiting Burke in a Ross-Ade Stadium suite just a few years ago, and how intense a fan Burke was.
"Morgan was sitting on the stairs, and literally was cheering like he was a 13-year old kid ," Colvin said. "He was the athletic director and I get there was a lot on the line win or lose, but the passion and desire that he had for the program, that reflects well with me."
Wright-Eger and Boudia had seen the same reactions around the pool, as Burke could be found in the team huddle after hurdling down from the stands for the last relay.
"Other coaches would say to me that they wished they had their athletic director in their huddle," Wright-Eger said. "Morgan's competitive nature made a difference."
And it was that constant need to be in the arena that helped Burke drive others to always dig deep to get better.
Yet, Burke's passing is an emotional marker for everyone who crossed his path. For Colvin, it was the memory of Burke calling him personally to tell Colvin he had been selected to the Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame.
"I still have that recording on my phone, and I am not sure I will ever erase it," Colvin said.
But Burke's legacy lives on in Colvin's daughter Raven, who has committed to play volleyball for coach Dave Shondell's squad enrolling in the fall of 2021.
“Daddy, who's that man that passed away?” Raven asked her dad earlier this week.
“That man meant a lot to a lot of people, is what I told her." Colvin said. ”I'm getting emotional because he means a lot more than just somebody named Morgan Burke. And for my daughter to get the opportunity to recognize that is big for me. Really big."
For Cathy Wright-Eger, it is as simple, and as complicated, as that. With Burke's passing, she has lost a good friend. Despite his amyloidosis, a disease that affects the heart, Burke wanted in the pool until the end. Despite Burke's illness, Wright-Eger said Burke would never focus on himself or the hand he was dealt.
"I sure hope that there's a pool in heaven," Wright-Eger said. "Morgan was complaining that he couldn't swim during the pandemic. He wanted to continue the life he knew and loved.
"Yes, I just hope my good friend has a pool in heaven."
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