KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan Division of Intercollegiate Athletics mourns the passing of WMU Athletics Hall of Famer Dr. Emanuel T. "Manny" Newsome, who recently passed away at the age of 83.
 
A native of Gary, Ind., Newsome came to Western Michigan in 1960 after graduating from Theodore Roosevelt High School, where he starred in both basketball and track, helping the track and field program to a state championship.
 
During his time in Kalamazoo, Newsome became one of the most prolific scorers in collegiate basketball history, leading the nation in scoring for part of his senior year. Among his best career performances were a pair of 45-point efforts against both Michigan State and Toledo during the 1963-64 campaign. At the time, 45 points were the most scored in a single game in school history.
 
Over his three-year varsity career, he poured in a school-record 1,787 points, a record which stood for 45 years. As a senior, he netted 654 points, another record which he held for more than four decades. His 32.7 points per game scoring average during the 1963-64 season, career scoring average of 26.3 points per contest and 729 career field goals all still stand as program records.
 
Throughout his career as a Bronco, Newsome received numerous accolades, including earning three straight All-MAC First Team selections. Following the 1963-64 season, he was named an All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. He also went on to participate in the U.S. Olympic Trials. 
 
In recognition of his achievements, Dr. Newsome was selected to the WMU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1974, the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame in 1988, the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Gary Indiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2024. In 2018, Western Michigan University officially retired his #5 jersey, making him the only player in program history to receive that honor.
 
Newsome received a B.S. in Physical Education & Speech from WMU in 1964 and an M.S. in Physical Education from WMU the following year. He began his professional career at Western Michigan in the Office of Financial Aid as a counselor and field representative. He broke barriers in academia, becoming the first African American administrator in the university's history.
 
Following his time at Western Michigan, he went on to earn his Ph.D. in Counseling & Psychological Services in Higher Education from Indiana State. Dr. Newsome completed his post-doctoral studies at Harvard University, where he received a certificate in Management and Development in Higher Education.
 
Dr. Newsome continued his work in higher education at the University of Toledo, where he served as Dean of Students. He then went on become the Senior Vice President of Student Affairs at Florida Atlantic University from 1988 until he retired in 2006. After retirement, he served as Adjunct Professor of Educational Leadership at FAU until 2016.
 
"As the only Bronco men's basketball student-athlete with a retired number, Dr. Manny Newsome has left a legacy of excellence with our basketball program and university," Western Michigan Vice President / Director of Athletics Dan Bartholomae said. "That excellence includes recognition as an All-American and WMU Athletics Hall of Fame member, but also as an accomplished student affairs professional at WMU and several other distinguished institutions. We all mourn this loss and hold his family in our hearts."
 
Dr. Newsome leaves behind his wife, Nellie, children Eric, Ericka and Dr. Kimberly Newsome, and grandchildren Brandon, Jalen, Diamond, Sapphire and Emmanuel Newsome.