UA Fort Smith Athletics

Josh Newman enters his 13th season as the head men's basketball coach at UAFS.

Newman has guided the Lions to a 238-121 win-loss record during his tenure, which began in late July of 2006.

The Chino Valley, Ariz., native has guided the Lions to a 168-96 record during their first nine seasons of NCAA Division II competition. In that span, the Lions have won four conference championships and one conference tournament championship and have made four appearances in the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament.

This past season -- UAFS' seventh as an active Division II member -- he led the Lions to a 24-6 overall finish and a 12-4 finish in the conference. UAFS finished tied for first place in the Heartland Conference, earning its seventh berth in the conference tournament. The Lions also made their fourth national tournament in five seasons.

It was the UAFS' best season ever of its NCAA Division II era, with the Liosn setting a school record for single-season wins and being ranked in both national polls the entire season, peaking at No. 4 in the D2SIDA Top 25

Prior to UAFS joining NCAA Division II in the summer of 2009, Newman coached the Lions during their final three seasons of NJCAA membership. He compiled a 70-25 record, one East Division championship and consecutive appearances in the semifinals of the region tournament, along with consecutive Top 5 rankings in the national polls.

Newman has an extensive coaching background at the junior college and NCAA Division I levels.

He has coached and helped develop nine players who have been drafted or played in the NBA, including first-round draft picks Kirk Snyder and Javale McGee, and has coached 41 players who have pursued careers overseas. He has coached and recruited 47 former junior college players who have gone on to play at Division I programs over a seven-year span.

Prior to being named the head coach at UAFS, he spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Nevada (2003-2006). While at Nevada, the Wolfpack compiled a 77-22 win-loss record, three WAC regular-season championships and two WAC tournament championships and three consecutive NCAA tournaments with one trip to the Sweet 16.

Prior to becoming a Division I assistant he was an assistant at South Plains College (2001-2003). Newman helped guide the Texans to a 61-9 win-loss record, consecutive Western Junior College Athletic Conference championships, consecutive Region V championships and consecutive national tournament appearances. The Texans were also ranked in the NJCAA Division I Top 5 both seasons.

Before moving to West Texas he spent two seasons at McLennan Community College in Waco, TX (1999-2001). While at MCC he served as an assistant under current UALR Head Coach Steve Shields. Newman began his coaching career as an assistant at UAFS (then Westark College) during the 1998-1999 season, serving under current Nebraska Head Coach Doc Sadler.

Newman has a bachelor's degree in history from Arizona State University and a master's degree in sports studies from Texas A&M-Commerce.

He was inducted into the Chino Valley High School Athletics Hall of Fame in September 2015 as part of the 1990-91 and 1991-92 soccer teams and will be inducted into the University of Nevada Athletics Hall of Fame in September as part of the coaching staff on the 2003-04 Wolfpack team.

Newman and his wife, Rita, have three children — Troy, Alexis and Daniella.

Year-By-Year Head Coaching Record