COACHING STAFF
CHELSEA NEWTON Assistant Coach Second Season at UGA // Eighth Overall @UGACoachNew Chelsea Newton, a former Big East Defensive Player of the Year at Rutgers and assistant coach at her alma mater, was named assistant coach for the Georgia Lady Bulldogs on May 4, 2015. Newton played a crucial role in leading the Lady Bulldogs back to the NCAA Tournament in her first season in Athens, as Georgia finished with a 21-10 overall record and 9-7 league mark. She was a standout guard at Rutgers from 2001-05 and, following a successful professional career in both the WNBA and overseas, was an assistant coach at Rutgers for five seasons.
A native of Monroe, La., Newton was a WBCA and Parade All-American at Carroll High School. She was a three-time All-State selection, was twice named Louisiana Player of the Year and was valedictorian of her senior class. Newton earned her bachelor's degree in exercise science and sport studies from Rutgers in 2005. In 2004, she was the inaugural winner of the Chelsea Newton Scarlet Heart Award, which is now given annually to the women's basketball player who best exemplifies perseverance, courage and overcoming adversity.
Newton displayed a penchant for helping attract top talent to Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights inked classes that ranked No. 3 in the nation in each of her first two full seasons as an assistant coach. All told, Rutgers has signed 11 prospects ranked in the ESPN HoopGurlz top-100 during Newton's tenure, including six top-20 recruits. That talent helped the Scarlet Knights reach postseason play four times over the past half-decade. Rutgers secured NCAA Tournament bids in 2011, 2012 and 2015 and also captured the 2014 WNIT Championship. Newton enjoyed much postseason success during her playing days at Rutgers as well. The Scarlet Knights made NCAA appearances in 2003, 2004 and 2005, advancing to the "Elite Eight" during her senior season. That same year Rutgers captured its first-ever outright Big East regular-season title. Newton was a four-year starter and was selected as the team's Most Valuable Player in both 2004 and 2005 (co-honored with Cappie Pondexter). In 2005, she was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year and was tabbed both first-team All-Met and third-team All-Big East. Newton started 95 of 104 games played for the Scarlet Knights during her collegiate career and averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game. She notched 51 double-figure scoring performances, including a quartet of 20-point outings. Newton was selected by the Sacramento Monarchs with the No. 22 overall pick in the second round of the 2005 WNBA Draft. She made an immediate impact, starting 34 games, averaging 4.4 points and 2.0 rebounds and earning All-Rookie honors while helping the Monarchs to the 2005 WNBA Championship. After playing for the Chicago Sky in 2006, Newton returned to the Monarchs for three more seasons and was named to the WNBA All-Defensive second team in 2007. Newton also enjoyed a successful overseas career. During the 200506 season, she played for both Raanana Hertziliya in Israel and Lotos Gdynia in Poland. After serving as Director of Player Development at Rutgers for the Scarlet Knights during their NCAA runner-up campaign in 2006-07, Newton played two seasons in Italy with Carispe La Spezia in 2007-08 and with Limatic Umbertide in 2009-10.
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THE CHELSEA NEWTON FILE Name: Hometown: High School: College: Coaching Career 2015-present 2010-15 2006-07
Chelsea Newton Monroe, La. Carroll HS (‘01) Rutgers (‘05) -- Exercise Science Georgia (Assistant Coach) Rutgers (Assistant Coach) Rutgers (Director of Player Development)
Milestones » Played five seasons in the WNBA with Sacramento and Chicago » 2005 WNBA All-Rookie Team selection » 2007 WNBA All-Defensive Second Team » 2005 Big East Defensive Player of the Year; third team All-Big East » Spent five seasons playing overseas in Israel, Italy and Poland