Tatum Burstrom is in her sixth season as Mike Mincey's lead assistant coach for the Lady Eagles. 

During her tenure at Carson-Newman, the Lady Eagles have won 20 games each year minus only playing 19 games and going 15-4 during a COVID season, a year where the team hoisted a regular-season trophy. They are 111-33 overall with an 81-22 mark against the South Atlantic Conference. The program has won two Regular Season Championships, one SAC Tournament Championship, and one NCAA Southeast Regional Championship with an Elite Eight appearance, the first in the history of the school.

The team has been to four straight NCAA Tournaments, the longest span since the early 1990s. Burstrom has also had a hand in recruiting and developing five Division 2 All-Americans. Two-time winner Haris Price (2017-18, 2018-19), Mika Wester (2017-18), Kayla Marosites (2019-20), and Braelyn Wykle (2020-21). The last All-American the Lady Eagles had seen prior to that run was Shari Buford in 2010.

On March 6, 2019, Burstrom was named to the WBCA's Thirty Under 30 list honoring 30 up-and-coming women's basketball coaches age 30 and under at all levels of the game. She was one of nine coaches from the Division II ranks to be listed and one of the three from the SAC.

In her four years on the bench, the Lady Eagles have won 20 games each year are 96-29 with a 66-18 mark against the South Atlantic Conference as 2017-18 brought home a regular season and tournament title in the SAC, a NCAA Southeast Region title and an Elite Eight appearance, the first in the history of the school. The team has been to three straight NCAA Tournaments, the longest span since the early 1990s.

Developing an elite scoring unit, Carson-Newman has led the South Atlantic Conference in scoring in each of the last five seasons ranking sixth, third, seventh and sixth nationally in scoring over the past four campaigns. The program is averaging 84.8 points per game during that span posting an average of at least 80 in each of the last four years. C-N is one of three teams in Division II to be in the top seven in that stretch. Ashland and Glenville State have been first and second in some order over that period. Baylor is the lone two Division I schools to be among the nation’s top seven in scoring offenses over the last four campaigns. The program is 96-29 overall and 66-18 in SAC games during that period.

During the 2017-18 season, the team spent the final 14 weeks inside of the top 10 in America and nine as a top-five team in the poll finishing the season ranked fifth in the WBCA poll - the highest ever for a SAC program. Since the SAC formed in 1989-90, no team had spent double-digit weeks in the top 10 as other schools have combined for 33 weeks in the top 10 in the history of the poll. Presbyterian in 1999-00 spent nine weeks amongst the 10 best teams in the country.

The Lady Eagles matched a school record with 32 wins on the year setting the SAC record in that category by four games. Other records that C-N now holds among SAC schools is most points in a year (3,180), points per game (90.9) and assists (702).

"I've been fortunate to have two former Lady Eagles help me run this program over my first five years and I'm delighted to add another," Carson-Newman coach Mincey said at the time of the hire. "Tatum decided to come play for me with no head coaching experience and trusted me with her four years of college. I felt like she could be an accelerant for our program as a player and I trust she can do the same as a coach.

"She will be able to help the players in so many facets of college life and will also be able to give future student-athletes a true insight as to what it takes to be successful on and off the floor at C-N. She can already evaluate talent and even though not a coach at the time, I've had many conversations about strategy and have always impressed with her basketball IQ."

Burstrom became the 17th Lady Eagle to score at least 1,000 points in her career doing so against North Georgia on Dec. 3.  She also became the all-time leader in made three-pointers at Queens (N.C.) on Dec. 12.

Burstrom wrapped up her career fourth in SAC history with 254 made three-pointers. The program's leader in made triples concludes her four years with 1,234 points, good for ninth in C-N history. The Maryville, Tenn. native scored in double figures 64 times in her four seasons while leading the team in scoring in 30 games. She made at least three three-pointers on 43 occasions.

She was just the fifth player in program history to earn postseason plaudits from the league in three seasons after being placed on the All-Freshman Team in 2012-13, an honorable mention All-SAC pick in 2014-15 and being placed on the second-team All-SAC in 2015-16 to cap her career.

Despite missing six games following a broken wrist, she finished fifth in the league with 63 made triples, sixth with a 34.4 percent three-point percentage and ninth in the conference in scoring by averaging 13.8 points per game.

Along with teammate Jai Jai McLaughlin, Burstrom is considered to be the first recruit that Mincey signed once he became the head coach as he worked toward bringing in local products.

"I have wanted to be a coach ever since I got to college," Burstrom said. “When I was hurt and able to really take in the game from the sideline, I knew I wanted to stay on board with Coach Mincey at Carson-Newman and accomplish something we had never done before. This place has been so special to me the last four years and I am thankful for the opportunity.” 

In high school, Burstrom was a three-sport star at William Blount High School scoring over 1,000 points on the hardwood. Her father, David, played football at West Alabama and mother, Stephanie played college volleyball while both of her brothers played college baseball.