Mark Knight has been elevated to Associate Head Coach for the men’s basketball program at UMPI. Knight has served the past three seasons as the lead assistant coach for the program, helping lead the program to new heights since UMPI became a NCAA Division III member in 2008. This past season UMPI picked up their first North Atlantic Conference playoff win and advanced to the NAC semifinals.
In the three years with the program, Knight has helped the Owls advance to the playoffs each year, including a conference finals appearance in 2017-18 in the American Collegiate Athletic Association. Knight is involved in every aspect of the program where he specializes in game preparation, practice planning and implementation, and player development. Knight has also developed into an excellent recruiter for the Owls.
“I could not ask for a better coach to be on my staff than Coach Knight,” said Executive Director of Athletics and Recreation/Head Men’s Basketball Coach Dan Kane. “Mark is the epitome of a professional and an absolute grinder. He has gone above and beyond the duties of an assistant coach and has a long and bright future in college basketball.”
As well as serving on the coaching staff Knight has served in other roles at the university. In Knight’s first year, UMPI found themselves in a bind with a midyear departure of the sports information director. Knight stepped in and served as the interim SID for the remainder of the year. In the fall of 2018, Knight was hired full-time and continues to serve as the departments Sports Information Director, where his duties go past just sports information. Knight serves as the department’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee advisor and the Diversity and Inclusion Designee. Coach Knight also is an adjunct professor for UMPI’s University Experience class.
In the years leading up to his time with UMPI, Knight attended Webber International University for six years. Receiving his Undergraduate Degree, majoring in Sport Business Management with a minor in Computer Applications in Business, and his Master’s in Business Administration with a Concentration in Sport Business Management.
While completing his undergraduate degree at Webber, Knight was a member of the Men’s Basketball team for all four years. Knight then went on to serve as a Graduate Assistant Coach, where he was the Head Coach for the Men’s Junior Varsity team, and assistant to the varsity program.
http://owls.umpi.edu/sports/mbkb/2020-21/releases/20210106ntq51m
