Newell has a total of twenty one individual sprint victories at various levels since 2001, including his first national championship in January, 2007, at Houghton, MI.

After completing his high school degree and some post-grad work at Stratton, Newell went on to join the US Ski Team, which he still competes for today.

Among Newell's most noteworthy accomplishments in the XSki world are huge backflips on his skinny skis, 720's, and a radar-clocking (by the Vermont State Police) of over 50 mph.

It was announced on January 19, 2010, that Newell had qualified for the 2010 Winter Olympics where he earned his best finish of ninth in the team sprint.

Newell also works with the environmental organization Protect Our Winters and regularly speaks on behalf of sustainable practices and urging world leaders to politically take action against climate change.