ISU Bengal

Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: News

Jon Newlee, the winningest coach in Idaho State University women's basketball history, has announced that he is leaving the Bengal program to take the head coaching position at the University of Idaho. He will take over for Mike Divilbiss, who resigned from his position on March 28 with two years left on his contract and a seven-year record with the Vandals of 82-119.

This past season, Newlee led the Bengals to a 20-10 mark and their third consecutive post-season berth as ISU advanced to the WNIT, where they lost to Boise State. The 20 wins marked only the third time in school history that the Bengals broke the 20-win plateau. Newlee had another 20-win season, leading ISU to a 20-9 mark during his second season.

Over his six-year career, Newlee led the Bengals to a 93-82 mark, and a 54-34 Big Sky Conference record, including three second place finishes and a first place regular season title in 2006. In 2007, the Bengals went 17-14, finishing second in the league and winning the Big Sky Conference Tournament, advancing to the NCAA Tournament for only the second time in school history, where ISU lost to Stanford in the first round.

Newlee's mark is even more impressive knowing where ISU was at the start of his tenure. He was hired in 2002 and was ISU's fourth head coach in just nine months, and his first team struggled to a 6-20 finish. From there, his teams were golden, going 20-9, 13-16, 17-13, 17-14, and finally 20-10, advancing to the postseason in four of the final five years. He owns four of the top five marks for wins in a season in school history, and his 54 wins over the last three years is easily the most successful three-year run in school history.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure as the Head Coach at Idaho State," said Newlee prior to a press conference on Tuesday. "Taking the team from last to Big Sky Champions, the NCAA Tournament, becoming the all-time winningest coach, the WNIT appearances, all the great victories will always stay with me."

"Having the opportunity to be able to coach with what I believe is the best staff in the country has been amazing. I want to thank all my players through the years for all their dedication and hard work, for making everything we accomplished possible," Newlee also stated. "I leave ISU in much better shape than when I got here."

Newlee, who will enter his 25th year in collegiate coaching in 2008-09, has been a part of 12 20-win seasons over stops as an assistant at Saint Mary's, Texas-San Antonio, Southern Methodist, and Hawai'i and a three-year stint at Southwestern Junior College. Last season marked his 13th WNIT or NCAA Tournament appearance in his last 16 seasons as a coach.

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