WICHITA - Newman Tennis will have a new face leading for the first time in 20 years. Shella Augspurger announced her retirement after 20 years with the Jets. Brady Matthews set to lead Newman Tennis in 2024-25.

Shella Augspurger began her coaching career at multiple clubs in the St. Louis, Missouri area, where she also achieved her U.S. Professional Tennis Association teaching certification. Augspurger moved to Wichita in 1999 where began teaching pro at Reflection Ridge Golf and Swim Club, and coached the Maize High School boys' tennis team for four years.
 
Augspurger joined the Jets in the 2003-2004 season as an assistant coach when Newman University was an NAIA university. In 2007 Augspurger took over as Director of Tennis and oversaw the program as they made the move to NCAA Division II, in the Heartland Conference. While in the Heartland Conference, Augspurger led the men's and women's teams to a combined 21 trips to the conference tournament and even reached the men's conference championships four times. While in the Heartland, Augspurger coached 48 all-conference athletes and received All-Academic TA Awards in 11 of 12 years. 

"My favorite part of coaching over the years is seeing the development of players from when they come to Newman to when they graduate.You know they're ready to go out and succeed. It's really cool to see them do that," said Augspurger.

Laryssa Ferreira, who played under Augspurger, was recently inducted into the Newman Jets Hall Of Fame, was selected the Heartland Conference women's Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons in 2010 and 2011, and Eduardo Santos was named men's Player of the Year in 2017 and was ranked in the top 10 according to NCAA rankings. Augspurger has also seen her athletes capture three Senior of the Year awards and a Freshman of the Year honor. Blake Crawford recently selected All-Region and All-American CoSIDA Academic Honors.
 
After the Jets stint in the Heartland Conference, the Jets joined the MIAA as full members in 2022. While in the MIAA, 14 Jets earned All-MIAA honors along with one "A Game" Scholar Athlete.
 
"I'll really miss the coaching. I love coaching," said Augspurger. "I'll also miss the people here in the athletics department and being able to see the athletes develop and grow up. Also the relationships I've made with my players and other athletes on campus outside of tennis. I've been involved with SAAC for almost 20 years too, so I was able to get to know a lot of the players on different teams and was able to help with projects for different teams throughout the years."
 
"Shella is the epitome of what it means to be a Newman Jet. Over the last 20 years, she has remained selfless and graduated countless student-athletes," said Joanna Pryor, Newman Athletics Director. "I want to thank Shella for her dedication and commitment to not only Newman tennis, but also SAAC and the university as a whole."

Augspurger will stay on staff through the 2024 calendar year as a volunteer assistant coach.

With the retirement of Augspurger, Brady Matthews is set to take over the Jets this upcoming season as a first year head coach. "I am very excited to start my head coaching career with a program that has the same ideals and belief that I have when it comes to reaching success. I am looking forward to what is ahead," said Matthews.
 
Matthews joins the Jets from Cowley College where he served as an assistant coach. While at Cowley, Matthews helped lead the Lady Tiger tennis team to their first-ever national title, while also helping the Tiger men finish as the national runner-up.
 
 "What drew me to the opportunity with Newman was being so familiar, not only with the conference, but also the region as well. While also being able to compete in what is probably one of the strongest regions in the nation when it comes to Division II tennis," said Matthews.
 
Before Cowley College, Brady Matthews was an assistant men's and women's tennis coach at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. While with the Savage Storm, he had the university's first-ever Male ITA Central Region Champion (Manuel Pilotto) and reached the Fall Nationals (ITA CUP) in the Fall 2019 Season, also having a doubles pair (Gui Dos Santos/Marin Jurkovic) reach the Finals of the ITA Central Regional and reaching the Fall Nationals in 2022 (ITA CUP). Following that semester, the men's team finished with a national ranking of No. 18. Matthews also had success on the women's side. Reaching the Great American Conference Championship in 2021, 2022, and 2023. After losing 4-3 in the championship in 2021, the team avenged that loss the following year to be Great American Champions in 2022 and also in 2023.

While in the Great American Conference, Southeastern Oklahoma State had eight first-team All-Conference players, one Senior Player of the Year and one Freshman Player of the Year. Having players (Skye Royall in 2022 and Sara Gonzalez in 2023) be named Female Student-Athletes of all sports at Southeastern. 

Prior to joining Southeastern, Matthews spent the 2018-2019 season as the assistant men's and women's coach at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where his teams posted 11 wins in his first season, highlighted by a first-team All-Horizon League selection. 

Matthews spent the 2018 Season with his alma mater, Seminole State College, where the women's No. 1 doubles team reached the championship match and finished in the top six at nationals and the men finished top five at nationals. 

"Brady joins our department at a pivotal time. He has been a part of very successful programs in his career, and we expect that to continue here at Newman. Brady will champion efforts to develop his student-athletes on and off the court. His energy and passion makes him a great fit for not only the tennis program, but also within our current department structure," said Joanna Pryor.

Matthews will be the third head coach of men's and women's tennis at Newman University since its inception in 2003-2004.