Knox College Women's Volleyball

Maliah Blakemore was hired as the Knox College Head Volleyball Coach and Senior Woman Administrator in December 2023. Most recently, Blakemore was the Assistant Volleyball Coach at Kansas Wesleyan University. She helped lead the Coyotes to the opening round of the NAIA National Championships in 2023. Blakemore arrived at Kansas Wesleyan after spending the 2021 and 2022 seasons as the head coach at Hannibal-LaGrange University (HLGU) where she led the Trojans to 25 wins. She was named as the American Midwest Conference (AMC) Coach of the Year in 2021, leading HLGU to a nine-win improvement from the prior season. She also helped HLGU to its best record in the last 15 years. Prior to becoming the head coach at Hannibal-LaGrange, Blakemore was a graduate assistant for the Trojans for one season in 2020. Before arriving at HLGU, Blakemore played four seasons at Lincoln Christian University (LCU) where she was selected to the Association of Independent Institutions (AII) Second Team All-Conference in 2016 and 2017, followed by First Team All-Conference selections in 2018 and 2019. She was named as the 2019 AII Setter of the Year. She was selected to the AII All-Tournament all four years at Lincoln Christian. She finished her career ranked third all-time in assists at LCU. While at LCU, the women's volleyball team qualified for the NAIA National Volleyball Tournament twice. Blakemore played at Quincy High School in nearby Quincy, Ill., and was a three-year starter. As a senior she led Illinois High School Class 4A in assists. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in communications from Lincoln Christian, and a Masters degree in organizational leadership in business from HLGU.

Knox College is pleased to announce Akyia Baker as the new women's flag football coach. Prairie Fire Women's Flag Football makes its debut next year, competing as a club sport in the spring of 2027, with plans to transition to varsity status for the 2027–28 academic year. "The chance to be a part of a sport that is growing so fast right now was an opportunity I just couldn't pass up," Baker said. "I wanted a role where I could step up, lead, and build a program from the ground up here at Knox." Baker brings experience coaching flag football at the collegiate level, serving as assistant coach and program coordinator at Purdue University Northwest in Hammond, Indiana, since January of 2025. She has also worked as the athletics operations assistant at Purdue University Northwest since August 2025. At Purdue Northwest, Baker helped lead the Pride to a 9-3 overall record in their first season, highlighting her impact on the program's rapid success. "Coach Ky immediately stood out for her energy and passion, not only for the game of flag football, but for competition," Knox College Director of Athletics Justin Newell said. "It was clear she wants to be more than a coach; she wants to be an active, engaged member of the Knox community. I'm so excited for her to lead our new program!" Flag football has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the country at the youth, high school, and collegiate levels, so when it came to finding the first-ever flag football coach in program history, Knox found the perfect leader.  "We're going to build a highly competitive environment, but it's also going to be an open and welcoming culture for everyone involved, from players to fans," Baker said. "You can expect a program where people are excited to show up every day, work hard, and honestly, just have a lot of fun doing it."  

Micki Glass joins Knox College Volleyball as an Assistant Coach, bringing a strong background in collegiate athletics, player development, and championship-level coaching experience. A former two-sport collegiate athlete in both volleyball and track and field, Glass has built her coaching career around competitive excellence, mentorship, and a deep commitment to student-athlete success. Prior to Knox, Glass served as an assistant coach for the nationally recognized College of Idaho beach volleyball program, helping lead the Yotes to an 11th-place national finish in NAIA competition. She also spent eight seasons as the head coach at Southeastern Community College, where she guided the Blackhawks to a Region 11A Championship Runner-Up finish while establishing a culture centered on accountability, grit, and player growth. Glass was recognized as a finalist for the 2026 AVCA Two-Year College Success Story Award, highlighting her impact within the junior college volleyball community. Known for her energy, leadership, and ability to connect with student-athletes, she brings a passion for developing confident competitors both on and off the court. A Boise, Idaho native, Glass is excited to begin the next chapter of her coaching career at Knox College and contribute to the continued growth of the Prairie Fire volleyball program.