SUNDAY SPORTS BRUNCH Newsome to enter UT Martin Hall of Fame
Chris Van Tuyl
Jasmine Newsome is quickly becoming a pro at induction ceremonies.
It was 2017 when the former Millington Central High basketball standout was welcomed into the Trojan Athletic Hall of Fame.
Now, two years later, Newsome will be entering the University of Tennessee at Martin Athletics Hall of Fame. She's one of six Class of 2019 inductees who'll be enshrined Nov. 2 during the school's 36th annual Letter Winner's Breakfast.
“I don't really think it's about me. I think this honor is about my family, especially my parents and my brothers,” said Newsome, “because they've supported me the whole way. I honestly wouldn't be here without that support, from my dad (Vincent) first putting the ball in my hand, to my mom (Trina), who never missed a game.”
Newsome, entering her fifth season as an assistant women's basketball coach at UT Martin, will be honored along with Heather Butler, Tymikia Gunn-glenn, Jay Johnson, Dewayne “Pooh” Powell and Taurean Stephens. Both Newsome and Butler played the same number of seasons (2010-14) under current UT Martin head coach Kevin Mcmillan.
“From not really having any (college) offers to getting an offer from him, he believed in me and kind of got me where I wanted to go,” Newsome said. “He told me I was going to be an All-american when I was a freshman.”
She finished her playing career with 2,566 points, which is second all-time at both UT Martin and in the Ohio Valley Conference. The current leader on that list is Butler (2,865).
“Us going in at the same time is huge, because I wouldn't want to go in without her,” said Newsome, who was chosen as the Skyhawks' first Associated Press Allamerican as a junior. “We put in a lot of work, and I never did it for the individual recognition — I wasn't about that. I was always trying to be a team player.”
With Newsome and Butler leading the way, the Skyhawks won four OVC Tournament championships, which equated to four straight trips to the NCAA Tournament.
At Millington, Newsome also soared past the 2,000point plateau. Among her most memorable moments included a 41-point effort at Briarcrest and showdowns with Bartlett and future Georgia Bulldog Jasmine James.
“Our biggest rival back then was the Lady Panthers,” Newsome said. “Those were the best games. We would pack it out.”
On the recruiting trail, the Bluff City is still a hot spot for Newsome and the rest of the UT Martin coaching staff. Going into the 2019-20 season, the Skyhawks have four Memphians on the roster: Trezevant's Sade Hudson and a trio from White Station, Zaire Hicks, Brittni Moore and Damiah Griffin. “I want the girls to come here and do what I did,” said Newsome, “and honestly, I want them to do it better.”
CBU cross country excels in Bluegrass State
In a cross country meet hosted by Kentucky Wesleyan last weekend, Christian Brothers University returned from Owensboro with high marks. Taking part in the Fast Cats Classic, the men's team finished in second place, while the women came in fourth.
Senior Peter Torres ran the course in a time of 25:30, which was 11 seconds behind the winner. Freshman Berket Mesele also finished in the top 10 at 26:13. Sophomore Johanna Wistokat paced the Lady Bucs with an 11th-place finish (18:59).
Memphis soccer trio honored
Another week, another announcement of American Athletic Conference accolades for the University of Memphis soccer teams. Senior Stasia Mallin was chosen as the women's Defensive Player of the Week, with junior Samantha Murphy landing on the Weekly Honor Roll. Mallin tallied two assists in a 3-0 victory over Cincinnati. Murphy scored two goals in the road win against the Bearcats and had a career-high seven shots in a 1-1 tie at East Carolina.
On the men's side, junior midfielder Christoforos Kourtis earned a spot on the Weekly Honor Roll. In a 4-1 victory versus UAB, Kourtis had a goal and an assist. He was credited with an assist in a 2-1 loss to visiting Temple.
Sunday Sports Brunch is a weekly look at movers, shakers and newsmakers on the Memphis sports scene, from youth level to the pros. If you have an item of interest, please contact Chris Van Tuyl at christopher.vantuyl@commercialappeal.com.