One of the most accomplished coaches at the University of Idaho has added another marker to his already impressive resume.
In Thursday’s game against the Eastern Washington Eagles, Jon Newlee reached 200 career wins as the head coach of Vandal Women’s Basketball.
Newlee joins current volleyball Head Coach Debbie Buchanan as the only coaches in Idaho athletics history to reach this milestone.
Despite having his name being put in the record books as one of the winningest coaches in school history, it didn’t take long for Newlee to thank everyone around him.
“It just means to me that I’ve had great coaches. I’ve had a great associate head coach with me in Krista Sandford. I’ve had great staffs through the years: (Gavin Petersen), (Jordan Kelley), (Drew Muscatell) and (Jeri Jacobson). I could name them all because they have all done a great job,” Newlee said. “I wouldn’t be where I am without those guys. And of course, great players.”
Throughout the years at the helm of the program, Newlee has had many staff members and players enter and exit but kept the winning formula.
Newlee jokingly said that the only reason he knew that the record was coming was because Doug Taylor, the voice of women’s basketball, kept reminding him after every game.
Two of the most notable players to help Newlee reach this milestone in recent years are the Splash Sisters, Mikayla Ferenz and Taylor Pierce.
Ferenz and Pierce both graduated from UI in the spring of 2019 and have now moved on to playing professionally together in Australia.
But even after being away from the program, the Splash Sisters still apply the lessons learned in Moscow every day.
“What has stuck with me the most is how (Coach Newlee) taught me to work. As a professional, it is on you to do workouts outside of team practices, which are only a couple times a week,” Ferenz said. “You are responsible to improve your individual game. Because (Coach Newlee) instilled a work ethic in me, I have noticed that I have been better prepared for professional basketball.”
Along with the work ethic to push players on and off the court, Newlee’s investment in learning and perfecting the game is noticed by his players.
“Just the way that (Newlee) thinks about the game is unlike any other,” Pierce said. “His mind and the way that he puts in time and the amount of film that he watches is unlike any other coach you will ever meet. He shows that on the court every day with the things that he puts into the system, and the way that he thinks about things, you just can’t find it anywhere else.”
With another stamp left on a historic career, Newlee still doesn’t wish to dwell on it and just wants to continue to win games and make a run at the Big Sky title.
But he did have one more thank you in him, honoring not only the team that helped him reach the record but all those who came before too.
“I’m happy with our team this year, and I’m glad they could be a part of that. But I have had great players through the years that have all put the bricks in place. I would like to thank them and thank all of the coaches that have worked for me; it has been a great ride here,” Newlee said.
This story has been updated reflecting coach’s win total.
Zack Kellogg can be reached at arg-sports.uidaho.edu or on Twitter @kellogg_zack.