Returning for his fifth season in 2025, Russ Burroughs is the all-time winningest coach in Wilmington Sharks history, coming off an unforgettable 2024 season. Under his leadership, the Sharks captured both the CPL Championship and Eastern Division Championship, securing the franchise’s first CPL title since 1999. The team finished with an impressive 30 wins, marking only the fifth time in Sharks history to achieve this milestone. Known for his postseason success, Burroughs boasts a career .700 win percentage in the playoffs. The 2024 Sharks were no exception, with their pitching staff finishing top three in nearly every statistical category. During Burroughs’s tenure, the Sharks have consistently placed in the top six of the 15-team CPL each year.

In 2023, the Sharks reached the CPL playoffs for the first time since 2017 and clinched the Eastern Division Championship. The pitching staff excelled, finishing in the top three in categories including ERA, runs allowed, earned runs, hits allowed, and batting average against. The Sharks’ dominance on the mound extended to previous seasons as well. In 2021 and 2022, Burroughs’s pitching staff consistently ranked among the league’s top three in key metrics. The 2022 staff finished top three in ERA, runs allowed, earned runs, WHIP, and batting average against, while the 2021 squad earned top-three finishes in runs allowed, earned runs, hits allowed, and WHIP.

Burroughs has also made a significant impact as a recruiter and talent developer. Over the past six years, more than 40 players he coached have signed professional contracts, 8 have participated in the College World Series, 3 have represented their countries in the World Baseball Classic, and 25 have earned All-CPL first or second team honors.

Before joining the Sharks, Burroughs spent three seasons with the Edenton Steamers, formerly of the CPL. He served as pitching coach in 2017 before being promoted to head coach in 2018 and 2019. As a player, Burroughs competed in four seasons of professional baseball, including three with independent teams and one in international competition. He was known for his versatility, serving as a spot starter, left-handed specialist, and emergency designated hitter.

In the offseason, Burroughs serves as the Head Baseball Instructor at Nashville Baseball Academy, where he is in his 18th year. He also collaborates with Sidearm Nation, traveling internationally as a specialty instructor. A 2009 graduate of Lipscomb University with a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications, Burroughs resides in Nashville, Tennessee.