Knox College invites applications for the position of Head Men’s Basketball Coach. This is a 12-month, benefits eligible position. The salary range for this position is competitive. This position reports to the Director of Athletics. The successful candidate will have a focus on supporting student-athlete success and developing a competitive NCAA Division III program.  More information about Knox College can be found at www.knox.edu. Information on Knox College Athletics is available at www.prairiefire.knox.edu. Information on the Midwest Conference can be found at http://www.midwestconference.org/ .

Entering its 100th season of competition in school history, the Prairie Fire men’s basketball team has had plenty of success over the past century. They have qualified for the conference tournament 10 times and have won 15-plus games in a season on nine different occasions, several of those coming during Hall of Fame Coach Harley Knosher’s tenure. The men’s basketball team has had only four coaches since Knosher took over the program in 1961. Forty-eight former players and coaches are in the College’s Hall of Fame, as well as three teams: the 1958 and 1959 teams, for their back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, and the 1974-75 team, which also made an NCAA Tournament appearance.

The current team returns 19 players next season; more than half are currently first-years. The team will also feature four seniors and four juniors next season. The first-year class is especially talented, with one averaging 10.9 points per game and another starting at point guard. The sophomore class also features two starters who are averaging 14.2 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. A junior led the team with 11.0 points per game while also averaging 4.7 rebounds per game. This junior finished the year with the 8th best field goal percentage in the league (.550).

Men’s Basketball Prospectus

Knox College, a member of the Midwest Conference and NCAA Division III, is a vibrant community of scholar-teachers and students with a tradition of free inquiry, independent thought, and diverse perspectives. Competition in the Midwest Conference is intense and spirited, including the local rivalry between Knox and Monmouth College—the sixth-oldest athletic rivalry in the country.\

That’s only part of the story, however. Knox College is also one of the 50 most diverse campuses in America. Founded by abolitionists in 1837, the College was among the first in the nation to admit women and students of color and has a historic commitment to keeping a high-quality education accessible to all students, regardless of financial means. The New York Times ranked Knox #16 on its 2017 College Access Index in recognition of its commitment to low- and middle-income students and its role as an engine of upward mobility. Forbes has included Knox in its annual Grateful Grads rankings for the last six years running. And, recently, U.S. News & World Report listed Knox among the top 50 U.S. colleges for “best undergraduate teaching.”

Knox athletes are student-athletes with a focus on achievement in the classroom, on the court or playing field, and as community leaders. Institutional support for enhancing intercollegiate athletics is strong, and recent successes include multiple conference and NCAA championship appearances in men’s and women’s soccer and a record-setting year for the women’s basketball program in 2017. The K Club booster organization has been active for eight years with a significant upward trajectory both in engagement and dollars raised. This past year, the booster club surpassed $500,000 in gifts and more than 1,000 donors. The club made possible a state-of-the-art golf performance center and converted the College’s grass soccer field to a high-grade synthetic turf. More recently, the athletics department has increased its social media presence, facilitated increased branding of the Prairie Fire facilities, and completed a website redesign to capitalize on the department’s increased online audience.

Responsibilities
The Head Coach is responsible for all aspects of the Knox College men’s basketball program including but not limited to executing a successful recruiting and retention plan; integrating the program into the campus community; scheduling, planning, and supervising practices and contests; team travel; managing the program operating budget; fundraising; administering all aspects of the program ensuring compliance with departmental, institutional, Midwest Conference (MWC), and NCAA rules and regulations; participating in alumni and booster engagement, including promotion of program on social media platforms; and additional coaching and administrative duties as assigned. The Head Coach must develop a competitive program within the MWC with the goal of postseason participation. The Head Coach must also provide support and encouragement and ensure the safety and well-being of the student-athletes. This position will supervise one full-time, benefits-eligible, salaried exempt assistant coach, as well as student manager(s), student worker(s), and volunteer assistant coach(s). In addition, this position will have duties assigned to assist with game operations and will have the responsibility to teach one sports studies course (coaching of basketball) in the fall term.

Qualifications
The following are the qualifications for this position:

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university
• 2 or more years collegiate basketball coaching experience
• 2 or more years collegiate basketball recruiting experience
• Evidence of the ability to plan, organize, and administer training strategies for practice and game implementation (such as the design of workouts and long-term training plans)
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks and projects
• An appreciation for a residential liberal arts education, respect for individual differences, openness to the values and opinions of others, and flexibility to adapt to constant change

The following are the preferred qualifications for this position:

• 3 or more seasons experience coaching NCAA/NAIA collegiate basketball
• 3 or more seasons NCAA/NAIA recruiting experience
• 1 or more seasons experience as a head collegiate basketball coach
• Experience with recruiting database Front Rush (or similar database)
• Experience hosting collegiate campus basketball camps
• Experience building alumni and fan engagement and fundraising
• Experience with social media and overall promotion of the athletics program

To apply, send a cover letter, resume including contact information for three references, and complete the Knox College Employment Application by going to the link provided https://knoxhr.bamboohr.com/jobs/ . Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Finalists will be subject to a background check.