University of Idaho Athletics

Kara Newlee returns for her third season with the Vandals. She rejoined the Idaho volleyball staff  at the start of the 2015 season. after spending the previous three seasons coaching at the club level.

Newlee is in her second stint at Idaho after first serving the Vandals Director of Operations in the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Her duties included planning travel, organizing summer volleyball camps, tracking stats, helping with film breakdown and assisting with academics, compliance and equipment.

Newlee stayed in volleyball and coaching following the 2012 season. She was the head coach of Club ZZU based in Palouse, Wash. She was able to develop her skills and coaching style, while coaching various levels of players. She also helped out with the Idaho women’s basketball team as a team-building coach.

Prior to Idaho, Newlee was an interim assistant coach at WSU during the 2009-10 season, and spent the 2010-11 season as WSU’s director of operations. She has also coached Lakeland VBC (Rathdrum, Idaho), IMPACT VBC (Nashville, Tenn.) and Palouse Area Volleyball Club at the club level.

Newlee had a successful playing career at Tennessee State and North Idaho College. At TSU she ranked second on the team in kills and digs, and helped the Tigers to the 2005 Ohio Valley Conference championship.

At North Idaho College she was a first-team all-conference selection in 2004 and earned Scenic West Conference Tournament MVP honors after leading NIC to the conference championship and a 10th-place finish at the Junior College Nationals. For her efforts she earned NIC’s Athlete of the Year award.

Newlee earned her bachelor’s degree from Tennessee State (’08) in elementary education and her master’s in leadership development (Idaho, ’12). She is married to Jon, head coach of the Idaho women’s basketball team.