Let's Get Excited! Newbauer Embraces Challenge Ahead

Cameron Newbauer arrived at UF on Tuesday and was introduced as Gators women's basketball coach.

Let's Get Excited! Newbauer Embraces Challenge Ahead

Tuesday, March 28, 2017 | Women's Basketball, Chris Harry

Former Belmont coach Cameron Newbauer was introduced as the 10th women's basketball coach in UF history.

By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — At the start of his introductory press conference Tuesday, new University of Florida women's coach Cameron Newbauer revealed that he was an "emotional and passionate person," adding the overwhelming circumstances could get the better of him while he stood at the podium.

They did.

Newbauer, 38, several times had to pause and fight back tears, whether talking about the team he left behind at Belmont or some of the mentors that guided him along the path that eventually put him in position to become the 10th women's coach in UF history and the first male hired to the post.

"This is a dream come true," he said.

Mere days ago, Newbauer was processing a 27-6 season at Belmont, as the Bruins went undefeated in Ohio Valley Conference play and had a 21-game winning streak that was the second-longest in the nation — behind Connecticut, of course — when a telephone call from UF athletic director Scott Stricklin to gauge his interest in the post created by the dismissal of Amanda Butler after 10 seasons.

Newbauer's head went spinning, while the Florida wheels were in motion and Monday he agreed to a five-year, $2.5 million contract, the first coach hire on Stricklin's watch, and before he knew the lives of Newbauer and his family — wife Sarah and young daughters Chloe and Millie — quickly changed.

For the better.

"Cameron Newbauer brings energy, vision and an incredible work ethic to the University of Florida," Stricklin said. "In addition to developing well-coached teams, he's a hard charger when it comes to recruiting and fan engagement."

Indeed, his hard charge won't be just to upgrade the team — the only one at UF never to win a Southeastern Conference title — that is coming off a 15-16 record and 11th-place finish in the league, but just as importantly to rally some support and enthusiasm for a program that's struggled to put fans in the seats over the years.

Memo to locals: Newbauer wants you.

"We have to show that it's a fan experience and by fan experience I don't mean [kids] come to the game, get a balloon, get their face painted, go up in the stands and go home," he said. "I'm talking about student-athletes engaging. I'm talking about me engaging."

Example: At Belmont's NCAA Tournament game two weeks ago, Newbauer was up in the stands 30 minutes before tipoff, greeting and thanking fans for making the trip to Lexington, Ky., where the 13th-seeded Bruins took the No. 4-seed Wildcats to the final possession before losing 73-70.

"People were looking at me like, 'Are you crazy? You have a game to play.' The hay is in the barn. We're done our work, so it's time to get the fans excited about us," said Newbauer, who got a congratulatory call Tuesday from Steve Spurrier, a big women's hoops fan from his time at SEC power South Carolina. Spurrier, in turn, got an advance apology from the new UF coach for the bugging the HBC will get to come to Gator games. "I talk to everybody and I'm going to invite everybody I see wherever I am in town and I'm going to challenge our players day in and day out to invited X-amount of people. Go out of your way to say hi to someone. Learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable because that's something that will help them the rest of their lives."

There were probably some uncertainties when Newbauer met with the players he inherited about an hour before meeting with the media. He'd watched film of them, but didn't get into goals. He's not big on them.

"I believe in expectations. I believe in controllable and many of you might think that's counter-cultural, and that's OK," he said. 'I believe in giving the best we can every single moment, every single possession, every single day, and best attitude and effort every day."

That was the message to his new team, who immediately sensed his energy for the game and the challenge ahead.

"Definitely," junior forward Haley Lorenzen said. "Obviously, he's very emotional. I like that. It shows home open he is and that he's OK with being vulnerable with people he doesn't know yet. He was very open with us about his love for his job and passion for this sport. I think the team is pretty comfortable with him after only meeting with him for one time."

He made quite the impression. Newbauer intends to make many, many more on the way to taking UF women's basketball to a level it has never been before.

"Someone else's opinion of us doesn't have to become our reality. It doesn't matter what everybody said. It doesn't matter what hasn't happened," Newbauer said. "What matters is what we do today for tomorrow. What matters is how we move going forward. I'm excited for the work that lays ahead and the time it's going to take. I believe in this group and the work they're going to do off the court in the community and in the classroom and building the foundation for this program."