Women's Volleyball | 2/3/2022 3:37:00 PM
EAST GREENSBORO – After spending six seasons as an assistant coach under North Carolina A&T volleyball coach Hal Clifton, Ariel Newman has announced her resignation.
"My time at N.C. A&T has been one for the books," Newman said. "I would like to thank head coach Hal Clifton for allowing me to increase my passion for the game of volleyball at the collegiate level.
I also want to thank the players for teaching me and helping me grow as a coach. This program is truly something special, and I am glad that I will always be a part of their Aggie Family!"
Clifton hired Newman on June 7, 2016. The Aggies went 84-69 (.549) over the past six seasons, the best winning percentage over six years in school history.
Volleyballmag.com named Newman one of its 50 up-and-coming coaches under 40 years old in 2019. She was one of only three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) coaches named.
"It's hard to see Ariel stepping away from A&T volleyball," Clifton said. "She has been a tremendous asset to our program, our university, and especially our players. Ariel's contributions have helped us achieve many great historical moments throughout her tenure. She is such a bright and talented coach, and I know she will continue to grow our sport with her new business. But even more so, Ariel is a great person, and we have been very fortunate to have her on staff here."
A&T played its first season in the Big South Conference in 2021 and had several meaningful accomplishments.
The Aggies earned their first-ever win over a Power Five school with their 3-2 win over Virginia Tech on Sept. 18. In addition, they recorded their first 20-win season since 2005. A&T's first Big South win came on Sept. 24, a 3-2 win at UNC Asheville.
A&T also qualified for the Big South tournament, where they defeated USC Upstate 3-2 in a first-round contest. The Aggies also reached the postseason for the third straight season when they received an invite to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC). It was their second invite to the NIVC in three seasons.
The Aggies won their first-ever MEAC tournament in the spring of 2021, leading to the program's first trip to the NCAA tournament. The Aggies made more history with Newman when they advanced to the second round to face No. 12 Penn State. Penn State won the match, but the Aggies still completed the season 11-2 overall and 8-0 in the MEAC.
