The 2022-23 season marks the second for Jasmine Newsome as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator on the Redhawks women’s basketball staff.
In 2021-22, Newsome coached three OVC Freshman of the Week in Jaliyah Green (twice), Halle Smith (once) and Kennedi Watkins (twice) as the Redhawks finished with a mark of 6-23 (2-16 OVC).
Watkins was fourth on the team in scoring with 207 points (8.3 points/game) followed by Smith (177 points, 6.1 points/game) and Green (162 points, 6.8 points/game in 20 starts). Watkins also chipped in 138 boards (5.5 rebounds/game, second on team).
Newsome previously served as an assistant coach on the UT Martin women’s basketball staff for six seasons after ranking as one of the program’s all-time greats during her playing career. During her tenure as a student-athlete with the Skyhawks, Newsome helped lead the squad to four Ohio Valley Conference Tournament titles and four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
In her coaching stint with the Skyhawk, Newsome has seen the program win three OVC regular season titles during the 2015-16, 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons along with four of the program's 20-win seasons. The Skyhawks also qualified for the postseason four times with berths in the Women’s NIT in 2016, 2018, 2020 (canceled) and 2021.
Newsome has worked with eight All-OVC honorees 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. 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 rejoined the Skyhawks after a stellar career, which saw the former guard rank 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.
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 playing at UT Martin she played professionally in Germany with Gisa Lions SV Halle.
Following her career, she was inducted into the UT Martin Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019 while 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. She also graduated from UTM with a Master’s in Family and Consumer Science.
