Vandal Women's Basketball Camps - University of Idaho

Vandal Women's Basketball Camps

Camp Staff

Jon Newlee
Head Coach

Jon Newlee was named the ninth head coach in University of Idaho women's basketball history on April 15, 2008.

“We are excited to have Jon join the Vandal family,” Idaho Athletic Director Rob Spear said. “He is a winner, understands the Western Athletic Conference and has the work ethic that will position us for success.”

Newlee makes the move to Moscow following a successful six-year stint at Idaho State, where he transformed the Bengals into championship contenders in just his second season at the helm. He took ISU to the postseason four times in the last five seasons and compiled a 93-82 overall and 54-34 conference record at ISU. In 2006-07, Newlee’s Bengals took the Big Sky Conference Tournament title and earned the second NCAA bid in school history.

“I think it’s a tremendous opportunity for me. I was very impressed with Rob Spear throughout the process,” Newlee said. “I thought he brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm for what’s going on up there.”

After finishing his first season at Idaho State with a 6-20 overall and 2-12 conference record, Newlee produced the NCAA’s second-best turnaround in 2003-04 as he led ISU to a 20-9 overall record, a Big Sky Tournament championship game appearance and the first WNIT bid in school history. Following the 2003-04 season, he earned his first of two Big Sky Coach of the Year honors. In 2006-07, Newlee’s Bengals broke through with a Big Sky Conference tournament title and an NCAA Tournament appearance, where they fell to Stanford in the first round.

His challenge at Idaho will be familiar, as he will inherit a team that finished 4-25 last season.

“I’ve been in this position before,” Newlee said. “I’ve got a plan in place already. I’ve just got to get up there, get my staff hired and put my plan in place.”

Newlee’s Idaho State teams have been among the best in the NCAA in free throw percentage and scoring over the past three years. Last season, the Idaho State women posted a team free-throw percentage of .832—the best in NCAA history, regardless of division or gender. In 2006-07, the Bengals ranked third in the NCAA with a 79.5 scoring offense and also ranked third with 8.4 3-point field goals per game.

“I’m a real up-tempo kind of coach. I’m going to try to get some athletic kids in who can shoot the 3,” Newlee said. “I’m going to definitely be looking for a couple big posts who can bang around the rim. I want up-tempo point guard who can push the pace and some people on the perimeter who can get out and guard somebody.”

Success has followed Newlee at each of his coaching stops. In the past 16 seasons, Newlee helped lead his teams to the postseason 13 times.

Prior to his time at Idaho State, Newlee spent three seasons as an assistant at Hawai’i from 1999-2002. The Rainbow Wahine made three straight Women’s NIT appearances, won at least 20 games and never finished worse than second in the WAC during his time with the team.

From 1991-99, Newlee was an assistant at Southern Methodist, where he helped the Mustangs make five NCAA Tournament appearances and four 20-win seasons. Newlee also spent one season as an assistant at Texas-San Antonio, three seasons as the head coach at Southwestern (Calif.) College and three years as an assistant at Saint Mary’s (Calif.).

Highly regarded as a recruiter, Newlee has helped produce some great talent at every coaching stop throughout his 24-year coaching career. Most recently, he coached Natalie Doma, a two-time honorable mention AP All-American and a 2008 finalist for both the State Farm Wade Trophy and the Wooden Award. Doma ranked second nationally in both scoring and rebounding in 2008 after ranking in the top 10 in the nation in both categories in 2007. She finished her career as the Big Sky’s all-time top scorer and rebounder.

In his six seasons at ISU, Newlee coached 10 all-conference performers, including two Big Sky Players of the Year, a Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year, a Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, and a Big Sky Freshman of the Year. Newlee was also honored by his peers as the 2006 Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year. He also has coached 22 Big Sky All-Academic honorees, and he should add at least six more to that total when the winter team is released later this month.

“I can’t wait to get up there and get started,” Newlee said. “I need to get myself some black and gold gear now. I’ve been wearing white and orange for a while, but I’m ready for a change in scenery.”

Newlee is a 1982 graduate of San Diego State. He has a daughter named Bailey (3).
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Gavin Petersen
Associate Head Coach

Gavin Petersen will begin his first season as associate head coach for the Vandals, and his fifth season with head coach Jon Newlee. Petersen’s regular duties for the team include post players, recruiting, scouting and team travel.

Petersen spent four years as an assistant at Idaho State for Newlee from 2004-08, with the last two seasons as associate head coach. He helped the Bengals earn three postseason berths in his four years, as well as a 2007 Big Sky Tournament title and a 2006 Big Sky regular season title.

Petersen coached three-time first-team All-Big Sky honoree, two-time AP All-America honorable mention and 2008 Wooden Award finalist Natalie Doma, who finished her Idaho State career as the Big Sky’s all-time leader in points (2,296) and rebounds (1,174). Doma also was the only player to be ranked in the top five in the NCAA in both scoring (24.7) and rebounding (12.4) in 2008.

Prior to his time at ISU, Petersen was an assistant at Hawai’i for a pair of seasons from 2002-04. Petersen focused on post players, video exchange and summer camps for the Rainbow Wahine and helped lead the team to a 2003 Women’s NIT berth. For three seasons prior to his time as an assistant, he was a manager for the team.

Petersen graduated from Hawai’i Pacific University in 1999 with a B.A. in justice administration. While at HPU, he served as team manager for the school’s nationally-ranked men’s basketball team for four seasons.
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Christa Brossman
Assistant Coach

Christa Brossman enters her first season with Idaho after a five-year stay at Idaho State. Brossman was an assistant for the Bengals from 2006-08, a graduate assistant from 2005-06 and a player from 2003-05.

Brossman will focus on coaching the guards, with other duties including academics, equipment, recruiting and camps.

Brossman was a two-year starter for ISU at the guard position. She helped the Bengals earn their first-ever Women’s NIT bid in 2003-04 and led the team to back-to-back Big Sky Tournament semifinal appearances. She earned a pair of Big Sky All-Academic awards during her career, as well. She ranks fifth all-time at ISU in 3-pointers made (84) and in 3-point field goal percentage (36.5). She also played at Hawai’i for two seasons.

Brossman graduated from Idaho State in 2004 with a degree in communications. She earned her master’s degree in 2006 in physical education with an emphasis in athletic administration.