AD Korner

Greetings from the Burg,

Reflecting on our fall sports, we had incredible seasons across the board. All of our programs showed improvement in some form, and we feel that they have powerful momentum as they head into the off-seasons. It is fair to say that both of our soccer programs reached new heights of excellence this season with their respective championship runs! In addition, we saw four programs capture a total of 15 Midwest Conference All-Conference awards. That is a fantastic achievement! And that may not be the end of the celebration as we eagerly await the All-Region and All-American voting results. We may have those awards headed our way for a few individuals on our soccer programs, too. The future certainly is bright for our fall sports programs!

With a wrap on our eight fall sports, our six winter sports are in full swing. The men’s basketball team has two early wins over Dominican University and Westminster College and they seem poised for a breakout year. Featuring a roster with 10 great seniors that are now going into their fourth year at Knox, and their third year in Coach Davis’ system, along with some very talented underclassmen, this team has a strong makeup.

On the women’s side of our basketball world, Coach Mowen has seen significant development on her team through the first three games as players adapt to a new offensive and defensive system. For those of you eager to catch a game but can’t make it back to campus, every home basketball game will feature a new play-by-play announcer on our live feed, Nate Gonner, who called both of our home games last spring and did a fantastic job. Be sure to tune in to catch the action.

In the pool, the swim team showed tremendous improvement in our fall term meets from last year as Coach Powers saw personal and lifetime best performances! From top to bottom, the team is young but is looking to have a great season.

And finally, for indoor track and field, Coach Wells is getting the team geared up and ready to go for their season as they open up competition at Monmouth College on January 15. Like last year, there is plenty of optimism surrounding this team, with strong returners and some dynamic first-years joining the program. We are looking forward to having a great indoor season which will wrap up with Knox hosting the Midwest Conference Championship meet in late February.

Until next time, Go Fire!

Daniella Irle
Director of Athletics

K Club Update

Knox Family,

What an exciting fall season it has been! From both soccer teams claimed regular season conference championships, there were tremendous times for the cross country team, a welcome  return to the gridiron, and fantastic play on the golf course and volleyball courts. You, a Prairie Fire supporter, have a lot to be proud of!  

It was great to see so many of you, former letterwinners and parents alike, log on for the virtual athletics open house last week. I always enjoy seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones, all of whom are so invested in our student-athletes. 

Looking ahead to the end of the month I do want to share with you an important date that is on our horizon — November 30. 

Founded in 2012, GivingTuesday is a globally recognized day where people give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. Through these gracious acts, individuals around the world will come together and make an impact on the areas that mean the most to them — Knox, and Knox athletics, included.

As a way to bring the K Club fall campaign to a roaring finish, donors who choose to make a gift to K Club on GivingTuesday will have their gift matched dollar for dollar, up to $15,000, thanks to the incredible generosity of a former letterwinner. In addition to having double the impact, participating on this day will also help the greater College reach its goal of raising $100,000 for it’s beloved students, making your involvement on this day a true win-win! 

And remember, your gifts, no matter the size, have a huge impact:

• $25: One full day of meals for a student-athlete while on the road
• $100: New travel gear for a student-athlete
• $500: Away competition lodging for one student-athlete for an entire season 
• $1,500: Professional development for our coaches
• $5,000: Average cost of new uniforms for an entire team

As a College that has always prided itself on paying it forward, your generosity can continue to inspire our current student-athletes both on and off their field of play. So please, consider taking part and making a gift to K Club on November 30, GivingTuesday.  

Have a safe and wonderful holiday season and Go Fire! 

Crew Keller
Assistant Athletic Director, K Club Engagement & Fundraising