The 2021-22 academic year marks Aisha Stewart's fifth season as an assistant coach for NM State.
A welcome return to New Mexico is what Stewart and the rest of the Aggies will experience upon tipping off in 2021-22. One season ago, NM State relocated out-of-state from mid-November of 2020 until late January of 2021 as a result of in-state COVID-19 restrictions which prohibited games to be played within New Mexico state lines. Additionally, NM State was not allowed to conduct full practices within the state as a result of those same guidelines. Despite these challenges, and not playing a true home game for the first time in the program's existance, NM State still made a run to the semifinals of the WAC Tournament and finished the season strong by winning four of its last five games.
The Aggies' 2019-20 season - like the rest of college basketball - came to a premature end in the 2019-20 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That season, NM State advanced to the semifinals of the WAC Tournament at the time the season came to its abbreviated conclusion. Thanks in part to Stewart's guidance, Gia Pack became the fifth all-time leading scorer in program history while also being named to the All-WAC First Team. She also guided freshman Soufia Inoussa to WAC All-Newcomer honors.
Stewart helped guide the Aggies to their fifth-straight WAC regular-season championship and fourth WAC Tournament title in the last five years during the 2018-19 season. It was also the Aggies fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last five seasons. NM State’s 26 wins matched a program record.
With the help of Stewart, Brooke Salas earned her second-consecutive WAC Player of the Year honor while also being named Defensive Player of the Year. The 2018-19 season also saw Gia Pack break the WAC Tournament record for scoring with 86 points and also become the 24th 1,000-point scorer in program history.
In 2017-18, Stewart helped lead the Aggies to their fourth consecutive WAC regular-season championship. Stewart coached NM State to their fourth straight postseason appearance as well, with the programs first bid to the WNIT since 2010. The Aggies finished 2017-18 with an overall record of 18-13 and an 11-3 mark in Western Athletic Conference action to win the league.
Stewart and NM State earned six postseason individual accolades in the WAC in 2017-18. Head coach Brooke Atkinson led the way with the WAC Coach of the Year award in her first season as the head coach. Meanwhile, Stewart helped coach star junior Brooke Salas to WAC Player of the Year honors. Salas was also placed on the WAC All-Defensive Team and was named First Team All-Conference for the second straight season. Gia Pack earned First Team All-Conference honors and Monique Mills was named to the WAC All-Newcomer team.
Stewart helped guide Salas to become the 23rd member of the 1,000 point club in program history. Salas accomplished the feat in a home win against Chicago State on January 6, 2018.
Under Stewart's watch, NM State led the conference in field percentage (.426) in 2017-18. Individually, Salas paced the league in scoring average (19.1), point guard Zaire Williams led the league in assists per game (5.1) and Salas put together the best free throw percentage (.835) in the conference.
Before coming to NM State, Stewart spent two years as an assistant coach with the North Texas women's basketball team. She also served as recruiting coordinator, academic liaison and guards coach.
During Stewart’s time with the Mean Green, she was able to improve the teams winning percentage in each of the two seasons. During the team’s 2016-17 campaign, they finished 12-19 overall and 8-10 in conference play.
Behind Stewart's scouting and individual work with Mean Green players in her inaugural season in 2015-16, the team finished at 11-19 and more than doubled its win total from a season prior. She was also a pivotal part in the biggest win in program history, when North Texas defeated No. 17 Oklahoma for their first-ever win over a ranked opponent.
Stewart led the North Texas attack as they were awarded with the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Shooting Award for the most improved field-goal percentage in the 2015-16 season. The Mean Green shot 41.7 percent from the field which was a 7.23 percent increase from the prior season.
With Stewart’s guidance, Mean Green guard Kelsey Criner earned a spot on the Conference USA All-Defensive Team. As the academic liaison at North Texas, Stewart helped the team earn the highest team grade point average in program history.
Prior to her time with the Mean Green, Stewart served as assistant coach at Arkansas State with a special emphasis on recruiting and academics.
In 2014-15, the Red Wolves posted a record of 24-11, including a 16-4 mark in Sun Belt Conference play and a 14-1 record in home contests. Arkansas State was one win shy of tying the single-season school record. The Red Wolves went on to play in the WNIT for the second-consecutive season and won their first postseason game since 2007.
The impressive season on the court also saw Stewart lead the Red Wolves in the classroom as the team won the 2014-15 Sun Belt award for posting the highest team GPA.
Before Arkansas State, Stewart was on the South Alabama coaching staff for six seasons. From 2008-14, Stewart helped the Jaguars win 95 games, including a 21-11 record in her first season in Mobile.
Overall, while at USA, she coached seven student-athletes who were named to Sun Belt All-Conference teams and 18 who earned Academic Honor Roll.
Out of high school, Stewart went to Independence Community College in Kansas for two seasons where she was coached by current Wichita State head coach Keitha Adams. The Lady Pirates went 56-7 over those two seasons and led the NJCAA in scoring with 95 points per game.
Following ICC, Stewart went to Jacksonville University for one year and then finished her collegiate career at Catawba College where she graduated in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in sociology. While playing at Catawba, she tied the program record with seven three-pointers made in one game; in addition, the Indians won their conference championship and advanced to nationals.
She earned her master's degree in rehabilitation counseling in 2008 from South Carolina St. while working for two years as a Lady Bulldogs assistant coach.
Originally from Topeka, Kansas, Stewart graduated from Highland Park High School. Stewart has one son, Alijah.
