By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball head coach Kevin McMillan has announced the return of Skyhawk Hall of Famer Jasmine Newsome to his coaching staff while elevating her to the title of associate head coach.
A 2019 UT Martin Hall of Fame inductee, Newsome has helped lead the Skyhawks to six Ohio Valley Conference regular season championships, four OVC Basketball Championship titles and eight postseason berths as both a player and coach.
“We are so excited to bring Jasmine back home,” McMillan said. “From her playing days where she helped us win four consecutive conference tournament championships to her work as an assistant coach for many years, Jasmine has proven she is one of the best up-and-coming coaches around. Her ability to recruit and connect with our student-athletes is an invaluable trait.”
“I’m excited to be back,” Newsome said. “This is home for me and I’m honored to wear blue and orange again.”
Newsome returns to the Skyhawks after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Ohio Valley Conference rival Southeast Missouri. During her tenure with the Redhawks, Newsome oversaw the development of All-OVC first team honoree Jaliyah Green (8.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 37 assists), four OVC Freshman of the Week selections and one OVC Newcomer of the Week.
Prior to her time with the Redhawks, Newsome served as an assistant coach at her alma mater for six seasons. In her coaching stint the Skyhawks won three OVC regular season titles during the 2015-16, 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons while also boasting four 20-win seasons. UT Martin also qualified for the postseason four times from 2015-2021 with berths in the Women’s NIT in 2016, 2018, 2020 (canceled) and 2021.
Over the course of her career with the Skyhawks, she has worked with eight All-OVC selections in Ashton Feldhaus, Haley Howard, Chelsey Perry, Emanye Robertson, Kendall Spray, Myah Taylor, Maddie Waldrop and Dasia Young. Howard, Perry (twice), Robertson, Spray, Waldrop and Young each earned first team accolades while the others earned second team honors. Most notably, Perry was named the 2020 and 2021 OVC Player of the Year while becoming the program’s first WNBA Draft selection after being taken 26th overall by the Indiana Fever in 2021.
Newsome enjoyed an illustrious playing career with the Skyhawks from 2010-14 in which she finished as the program and OVC’s second all-time scorer with 2,566 career points. She was twice named OVC Player of the Year while notching three Defensive Player of the Year awards. A four-time All-OVC first team selection, Newsome became the program’s first Associated Press All-American following her junior campaign.
As a team, Newsome and the Skyhawks achieved unparalleled success. The Skyhawks won a pair of OVC regular season titles in 2011-12 and 2013-14 while punching their ticket to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments with back-to-back-to-back-to-back OVC Basketball Championship titles from 2011-14.
Additional accolades include being named Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Amateur Athlete of the Year along being tabbed College Sports Madness All Mid-Major Player of the Year and a first team All-American selection by the publication. She started every game of her 131-game career, while setting program single game records in points and assists. She tallied 44 points in a victory over Quinnipiac before setting a new assist record on senior night with 14 assists against Austin Peay.
Newsome holds UT Martin records for: single game points (44, 2013); single game three-point field goals made (nine, 2011); single game three-point field goals attempted (16, 2011); single game free throws made (16, two occasions); single game free throws attempted (20, 2012); single game assists (14, 2014); single season points (770, 2013); single season free throws made (167, 2013); single season assists (193, 2012); career free throws made (611); career assists (681).
After her playing career ended at UT Martin, she advanced to the professional ranks where she signed with the Gisa Lions SV Halle in Germany.
Newsome was inducted into the UT Martin Athletics Hall of Fame in the fall of 2019 while later having her jersey hung in the rafters of the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center on Feb. 8, 2020.
Newsome earned her bachelor’s degree from UT Martin in 2014 with a degree in health and human performance.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information