Star Staff Reports
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri Head Coach Rekha Patterson announced earlier this month the addition of assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Jasmine Newsome to the women’s basketball staff.
Newsome was an All-State player at Millington Central High School graduating in 2010. She is a member of the MCHS Athletic Hall of Fame, has her No. 22 retired by the school and is the all-time leading scorer for basketball at MCHS.
“Coach Jasmine is a winner that will help elevate every area of our program,” Patterson said of Newsome. “Her experience as a player, knowledge in player development and work habits in recruiting will assist us in our goals of winning more championships. I am grateful that she chose our program.”
Newsome heads to Cape Girardeau after spending the last six seasons as an assistant coach at fellow Ohio Valley Conference institution, UT-Martin under head coach Kevin McMillan.
“I am honored to have this opportunity to work and learn under Coach Rekha Patterson,” Newsome said. “I admire her high energy and work ethic when it comes to coaching women’s basketball. I look forward to working with her in developing young women. She has proven to be a winner and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
As a member of the coaching staff at UTM, Newsome helped the program win three OVC regular season titles, 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.
Newsome has worked with eight All-OVC honorees including Chelsea Perry. Perry was named the 2020 and 2021 OVC Player of the Year while becoming UT Martin’s first WNBA Draft selection after being taken 26th overall by the Indiana Fever in 2021.
Prior to coaching at UT -Martin, Newsome had a stellar playing career as a Skyhawk and ranks second all-time in the UTM and OVC record books with 2,566 career points. She was twice named OVC Player of the Year while being awarded OVC Defensive Player of the Year three times.
Newsome was also a four-time All-OVC First Team performer and became UTM’s first Associated Press All-American following her junior campaign.
She helped lead-UT Martin to four OVC Tournament titles and four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
Newsome 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 in 2020.
Newsome started every game of her 131-game career, while setting program single game records in points and assists. She 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 her playing career at UTM, Newsome played professionally overseas in Germany with Gisa Lions SV Halle.
Newsome graduated from UT-Martin in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in health and human performance.
