Dan Newell has been Averett's offensive coordinator since December 2011 after serving as the offensive line coach since 2010. As offensive coordinator, Newell continues to coach the offensive line. His inluence has helped six Averett offensive linemen earn USA South All-Conference honors since 2010.
Before coming to Averett, Newell spent seven seasons as the head coach of nearby George Washington High School. From 2003-2009, Newell guided GW to a 48-29 record and three Western Valley District championships. He also took the Eagles to the playoffs five times, including consecutive appearances in the Northwest Region finals in 2007 and 2008. In his final season, the Eagles finished 5-6 after advancing to the region playoffs.
At GW, Newell developed offensive lines that made the Eagles one of the top rushing teams in the state. During his tenure, GW set its single-game rushing record three times. The program also produced its first single-season 2,000-yard rusher in 2008.
Newell is no stranger to Division III football. The Danville native, who was a member of GW’s 1982 state championship team, played tight end at Division III Hampden-Sydney College.
Prior to taking the over the program in 2003 at GW, Newell gained coaching experience at several high schools throughout the state. After graduating from Hampden-Sydney in 1988, he began his coaching career at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, where he was an assistant for the 1988 and 1989 seasons. Newell left coaching to work for an environmental company in 1990 before earning his master’s degree in secondary science education from Virginia Tech in 1993.
In the fall of 1993, Newell returned to his alma mater, where he served as an assistant coach at GW for two seasons. The 1994 GW team finished as the state runner-up. Newell left to take the offensive coordinator position at Maury High School for the 1995 season before taking the head coaching job at Lake Taylor High School from 1996-98. He then worked as an assistant coach at Pulaski County from 1999-2002 before taking over GW’s program.
Newell lives in Danville with his wife, Sam, and three children, Kate, Mac and Faith.
