Former Emory & Henry University head football coach Curt Newsome, who led the Wasps through a decade of success and was inducted into the university’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2024, has died.
Newsome spent 10 seasons as Emory & Henry’s head coach, compiling a 53-42 record and posting six winning seasons. He was named Old Dominion Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2014 after guiding the Wasps to an 8-2 record. He also led the program to the ODAC championship game during the spring 2021 season.
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During his tenure, Newsome helped oversee one of the most significant transitions in program history as Emory & Henry moved from NCAA Division III to Division II competition and joined the South Atlantic Conference. The Wasps recorded back-to-back five-win seasons during the transition.
Under Newsome’s leadership, 94 players earned all-conference honors. Devontae Jordan received the Lanier Award as Virginia’s top small-college football player in 2021, while Jay Swegheimer was named ODAC Defensive Player of the Year and earned second-team All-America honors during the spring 2021 season. Kevin Saxton and Justin Hill were named conference Rookie of the Year in 2014 and 2022, respectively.
Newsome became the 20th head coach in Emory & Henry football history in January 2014 after a lengthy career at the collegiate and high school levels.
Before arriving at Emory & Henry, Newsome spent 15 years coaching in Division I football. He served two stints at James Madison University, including as part of the coaching staff that helped lead the Dukes to the 2004 Football Championship Subdivision national title. Between those appointments, he spent seven seasons as an offensive line coach at Virginia Tech, where the Hokies won three Atlantic Coast Conference championships from 2007-10.
Prior to his collegiate coaching career, Newsome spent 16 years as a high school coach. He earned five district coach-of-the-year honors, was named Eastern Region Coach of the Year three times and received Associated Press and Virginia High School League State Coach of the Year honors in 1998.
Newsome was inducted into the Emory & Henry Sports Hall of Fame in 2024.
University officials said Newsome’s impact extended beyond wins and losses, citing his commitment to mentoring student-athletes and helping shape their lives on and off the field.
The Emory & Henry community expressed its condolences to Newsome’s family, former players, friends and colleagues.