Mother McAuley Hires New Basketball Coach

CHICAGO — Mother McAuley has a new head girls basketball coach. It's Keisha Newell, who resigned from the same post at Roosevelt University to come to the largest all-girls Catholic high school in the country. Newell replaces Ashley Clanton at McAuley and will officially begin in her new role on June 3, the school said in a news release.

“There is such a great culture at McAuley, and an energy and excitement that surrounds the school and the athletic program,” Newell said. “Everyone is so friendly and welcoming and I’m proud to become a part of it.”

Clanton resigned from Mother McAuley last month to accept a basketball coaching job at a state powerhouse in Georgia, the Beverly Review reported. She led the Mighty Macs for seven seasons, most recently guiding the team to the 2019 IHSA Championship Game.

Now in comes Newell, who played high school basketball at Marian Catholic and in the college game at Loyola University, where she was a point guard for the Ramblers before graduating in 2010.

“It has all come full circle for me,” said Newell. “Ashley (Clanton) was an amazing mentor as my coach at Loyola. She’s a super competitor and I’m excited to continue her work with the McAuley program. I think she’ll be a great resource for me as well.”

Mother McAuley Athletic Director Laurie Jakubczak is equally excited about the hire.

“We are excited to have Keisha as our new basketball coach and assistant athletic director,” she said. “She will continue to develop the great program that Ashley has built. Being a former player of Ashley’s, she understands the hard work and dedication that it takes to develop outstanding student athletes.”