Florida Gators

Adrian Burde (pronounced bur-DAY) enters season 20 with the Florida gymnastics program in the fall of 2025. He coaches vault and tumbling, as well as aids in recruiting and team conditioning. He was elevated to Associate Head Coach in summer of 2022.
 
Burde’s Coaching Career:
At Florida:
Burde has coached vault and tumbling for the Gators since 2011. A Gator has claimed three NCAA vault titles since 2011 (Marissa King/2011, Kytra Hunter/2012, Alex McMurtry/2018). Florida has also taken Southeastern Conference event titles in 11 of the last 14 SEC Championships (Kennedy Baker 2016 vault & 2017 floor; Sloane Blakely 2023 vault; Ashanée Dickerson, 2011 floor exercise; Hunter, 2012 & 2015 vault; 2013, 2014 & 2015 floor; McMurtry 2015 & 2018 vault & 2017 floor; Bridget Sloan, 2013 floor; Trinity Thomas 2019 vault, 2022 vault, floor; 2023 floor).
 
Florida’s 10 advancing to the final five NCAA floor exercise finals (individual event championship format ceased after 2015) is the nation’s top total in that time span and UF’s nine in the NCAA vault finals is the second highest. Three Gators won NCAA floor since 2015 – Hunter (2015), Alicia Boren (2019) and Thomas (2022). Three of the top four floor totals in NCAA Championship history belong to the Gators – No. 1 49.75 (2022 semi), No. T2 49.725 (2013 Super Six) and No. 4 49.7125 (2022 team final) and Florida’s 49.875 in the 2014 home opener is the second-highest floor total in NCAA history.

Eleven Gators matched Florida’s vault and floor exercise records in the last 12 seasons. Hunter led the nation in 2014 with six 10.0 marks (two vault; four floor) and Sloan also turned in a 10.0 floor score. Sloan opened the 2015 season with a perfect vault mark and McMurtry also posted a vault 10.0. Baker collected 10.0 floor marks in 2016 and 2017. McMurtry added another vault 10.0 and earned her first floor 10.0 in 2017. She also scored a vault 10.0 in 2018. Thomas earned 12 floor 10.0s and her final of five vault 10.0s in the 2023 NCAA Team Final pushed her total to a NCAA record of 28 career 10.0s. Leanne Wong’s floor 10.0 in 2024 completed her Gym Slam and she closed 2025 home action with her second for the event. Sloane Blakely (floor) earned floor 10.0s as a freshman and senior. Danie Ferris closed 2025 home action with a vault 10.0. Selena Harris-Miranda was the nation’s only gymnast with multiple vault 10.0s in 2025, with the second earning the SEC title.
 
Burde coached the Gator uneven bar performers when he joined the program and his impact was evident early. The 2007 Gators opened the season with the team's then third-highest uneven bars team total ever of 49.575 at the Super Six Challenge. The UF bar record was reset to 49.70 versus Kentucky on Feb. 16. The Gators held the No. 1 position in the national bar rankings for the final nine weeks of the regular season. Florida was again among the national uneven bars leaders in Burde's second season. Florida's total of 49.625 set in the Gators' Link to Pink meet was the nation's highest uneven bars total of the 2008 season and ranks third all-time for the Gators. Two Gators advanced to the 2009 NCAA bar final, with then sophomore Alicia Goodwin sharing third overall – matching the then-second-highest UF bar finish in the program’s history. All-America honors were earned by three Gator bar performers in 2010, with two advancing to the event final.
 
At Nebraska:
Burde was part of the University of Nebraska staff for the 2002 through 2006 seasons. At Nebraska, he served as the vault and floor coach and conditioning coordinator.
 
Burde helped lead the Cornhuskers to four NCAA Super Six team finals (2002, ‘03, ’05, ’06). He saw NU athletes earn 19 All-America honors in the floor and vault events. It was at Nebraska that Burde coached Canadian Richelle Simpson, the 2003 NCAA all-around and floor exercise champion. He served as her coach at the 2003 World Championships in Anaheim, California, and the 2003 Pan American Games.
 
Collegiate Coaching Honors:
At Florida

• 2007 National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches for Women (NACGC) Southeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year
• Shared 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2025 WCGA Region 5 Assistant Coach of the Year

 
At Nebraska

• 2003 NACGC National Assistant Coach of the Year
• 2003 NACGC South Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year

 
Club Coaching Career:
Prior to working at Nebraska, Burde coached the girl’s Level 10 and International Elite programs for the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy in Norman, Oklahoma, where he worked alongside Gator Head Coach Jenny Rowland. There, he coached U.S. National Team members Larissa Stewart and Lori Wynn.
 
Romanian National Team:
Burde began his coaching career in his native Romania in 1994. He was a Junior National team coach until 1999, coaching the Romanian Junior National Team.
 
He coached Romanian Alexandra Eremia from 1997-99, who later was a member of the 2004 Olympic gold medal team and was awarded the bronze medal on the balance beam. Burde also coached Florica Leonida during the same time, who along with Eremia, earned a team silver medal at the 2003 World Championships.
 
As a Gymnast:
Burde was a member of the Romanian Junior National Team from 1988 to 1992. He joined the French club team Aix les Bains in 1992 and captured the all-around title at the 1994 French national meet. While competing, Burde also helped coach younger gymnasts at the club.
 
More Burde Info:
Burde is a 1996 graduate of the Romanian National School of Coaching, where he received a degree in International High Level Gymnastics.
 
He married the former Darcie Lee in the summer of 2007. They welcomed Isabella to their family in August of 2012.