Lewis University Director of Athletics John Planek announced on Wednesday (July 20) the hiring of Keisha Newell as the new women’s basketball coach for the Flyers. Newell comes from Mother McAuley High School where she was the assistant athletic director and head girls basketball coach since 2019.
“I am incredibly grateful and honored to be selected as the next head women’s basketball coach at Lewis University,” Newell said. “The tradition of the women’s basketball program is one of excellence both on the court and in the classroom. I am thankful to Dr. John Planek and Lewis University for entrusting me with the opportunity to lead such a tremendous group of young women. My family and I are excited to be a part of the Flyer family.”
“Coach Newell brings to Lewis a solid coaching background in women’s basketball in the Chicagoland area,” Planek said. “She also has experience with institutions that share the same core values of Lewis. We look forward to her leading our talented team.”
Before Mother McAuley Newell was the head women’s basketball coach at Roosevelt from 2015-2019. The year prior to that she worked at North Park University as the student athlete recruiter in Undergraduate Admissions.
From 2011-14 she was the assistant women’s basketball coach and recruiting coordinator at Loyola University-Chicago. She was also the director of basketball operations at Loyola from December of 2010 to May, 2011.
Newell competed at the Division I level at Loyola where she graduated in 2010 with a degree in business administration and added a master’s degree in organizational development in 2018 at Roosevelt.
