REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF ANTHONY STEWART
11/18/2020 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Photo mosaic by: dboggis @ Mosaically
The University of Tennessee at Martin mourned the sudden passing of head men's basketball coach Anthony Stewart on Sunday, Nov. 15. He was 50 years old.
Born in Pittsburgh, Pa. and raised in Akron, Ohio, Stewart came to UT Martin in 2014 as an associate head coach and was later elevated into the role of head coach in 2016. He was approaching his fifth season at the helm in 2020-21 before his unexpected passing.
Stewart's best season as the Skyhawk head coach came in his debut campaign in 2016-17, when he tied a school record with 22 victories and advanced to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship game. UT Martin won the first round of the 2017 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament and Stewart was named a finalist for the 2017 Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year Award, presented annually to the nation's top Division I minority coach.
Tributes have poured in locally and nationally amongst the collegiate basketball world. A sampling of those can be seen below:
Jeff Goodman, Stadium: Remembering UT Martin Coach Anthony Stewart
Thunderbolt Broadcasting: UT Martin Men's Basketball Coach Anthony Stewart Passes Away at 50 (Audio)
Thunderbolt Broadcasting: UT Martin's Men's Basketball Coach Anthony Stewart's First Interview After Being Named Head Coach (Audio)
Brandon Shields, Jackson Sun: Stewart Was More Than a Coach in Martin
Jeff Bidwell, WPSD Local 6: Family, Colleagues Remember UT Martin's Anthony Stewart (Video)
Benjamin Zacher, Fansided: UT Martin Basketball: Remembering Head Coach Anthony Stewart
MBB: UT Martin mourns the passing of @SkyhawkHoops head coach Anthony Stewart https://t.co/tkKzl7vrwW
— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) November 15, 2020
Our most heartfelt condolences to the Stewart and UT Martin families. https://t.co/RlSnkEbGt0
— OhioValleyConference (@OVCSports) November 15, 2020
Tonight, the Govs mourn the passing of UT Martin Head Men's Basketball Coach Anthony Stewart. We offer our condolences to his wife, his three children and the entire Skyhawk family. pic.twitter.com/D40oNFII4C
— Austin Peay Govs (@letsgopeay) November 16, 2020
@SIUEMBB issues statement on the passing of @SkyhawkHoops coach Anthony Stewart pic.twitter.com/eeWx5JXdvI
— SIUE Hoops (@SIUEMBB) November 16, 2020
Shocked and saddened by this tragic news.
— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) November 16, 2020
Our thoughts and prayers are with Coach Stewart's family as well as with our brothers at @SkyhawkHoops 🙏 https://t.co/Xpj1FMmMww
#embRACEus 🖤💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/5PPPWpoCqG
— #embRACEus (@embRACEus1) November 17, 2020
Praying for strength for the Stewart family and the entire @UTMSports family. May God hold and comfort you during this time! https://t.co/ZgqlqOzgAo
— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) November 16, 2020
Rest in Peace Anthony Stewart . Sending our thoughts and prayers to the Stewart family and UT Martin community . https://t.co/784GHCmcVS
— Jay Wright (@VUCoachJWright) November 16, 2020
Always enjoyed chopping it up w/ Stew! We loss a good one! 🙏🏽🙏🏽 https://t.co/DuNhboEdzC
— Damon Stoudamire (@Iambiggie503) November 16, 2020
Always respected Coach Stewart as a Coach and even more importantly as a Great Leader of Young Men. We will miss you Coach Stewart. 🙏for your Family and UTMartin MBB. https://t.co/65JrdCRtqW
— Scott Drew (@BUDREW) November 16, 2020
RIP coach Stew...... https://t.co/bkvjCIxkW5
— Jared Sullinger Sr. (@Jared_Sully0) November 16, 2020
Just heard of the tragic passing of Anthony Stewart. Friendly face and voice to talk to about hoop. #RIP @UTMSports
— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) November 16, 2020
UT Martin head coach Anthony Stewart's passing is absolutely heartwrenching. I was texting with him this morning. He said that his team had been shut down on Thursday, but then it wound up being a false COVID positive test. Was hoping his team could return to practice this week. https://t.co/krOLDYLl1X
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) November 16, 2020
UT Martin head coach Anthony Stewart has passed away, per release. Just 50 years old. Prayers to his family. RIP.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 15, 2020
We just got to speak to both of these men, last week. Anthony was so proud of his son who is graduating in December and on his way to great things. This is gut wrenching. Prayers for Parker, his siblings, Mom and the @UTMSports family. We're pulling for you. https://t.co/kWjpZQMCvf
— Harry Schroeder (@FatherHarry1) November 16, 2020
Don't have words right now. Anthony Stewart was the best of us. Told him just the other day that if I accomplished nothing else, I just hoped I could be half the dad and role model he was to his kids and players. May he Rest In Peace.
— Jason Belzer (@JasonBelzer) November 16, 2020
I am absolutely devastated by hearing tonight's news about Anthony Stewart's passing.
— Adam Wells (@TheAdamBWells) November 16, 2020
He was one of a kind and an incredible person.
Made my job so much easier over these last few years and these last few months.
Prayers to his family and everyone at UT Martin.
15 hours later, and I still can't believe Anthony Stewart has passed away. As I've been thinking about him almost constantly since I heard the news, I was reminded how I interviewed him in 2018 for my short-lived podcast, "The Lens of Leadership."https://t.co/M9EyV9WsH8
— Jeff Bidwell (@AKAJeffBidwell) November 16, 2020
One day can change things that weeks, months and even years can't. Embrace each day that you get!!!#SkyhawkNation
— Anthony Stewart (@coachastew) November 11, 2020