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Football Team Makes Pizza for the Rescue Mission

Making pizza is more than a team bonding experience. For the Knox football program, it's also a way to give back to the less fortunate. During winter term, assistant football coaches Andy Gibbons and Cory Bonstead '04 took 12 players to the Galesburg Rescue Mission, where they made 33 pizzas and 25 loaves of bread for the mission residents.

"The reason we do community service projects as a team each year is to teach our guys the importance of giving back and helping other people," Gibbons said. "Our players are very fortunate to be attending college, getting a great education, and playing football. We want them to understand that not everyone has those opportunities and service to others is very important. It is not an easy environment at the rescue mission and it is good for our guys to see and experience that." Read more about the football team's experience.

Coach's Corner

K Club Members,

I hope your spring is going well as we wait for the temperature to change here in Galesburg. I also want to thank you for your contribution to the K Club. These memberships will enable us to give our student athletes a great experience year in and year out. I write to you to give you a glimpse into the world of Knox athletics and our men’s tennis program.

We have just returned from our week-long spring break trip to Orlando, Florida. The team returns in high spirits as Florida brought a solidifying of our line-up and noticeable improvements in the play of many of our younger players. It was a week filled with tennis and team bonding. With five matches in four days, the guys had to come together to get through the grind of constantly playing and adjusting to sun and heat for the first time this season. However, the team took it all in stride. With the conclusion of play, the team took the opportunity to enjoy Clearwater Beach and go to Universal Orlando for a day.

As the team and I look forward to April, the second half of our 2011 men's tennis season is underway. We will be home for the rest of the season until the Midwest Conference (MWC)Tournament, so we are all looking forward to the lack of travel time and having plenty of fans at our matches. MWC South Division play starts next week with a visit from Illinois College, followed by Lake Forest College the week after. We hope to open up conference play 2-0. 

The highlight of the season thus far has been junior captain Erik Hane. He is 14-14 overall (6-9 in singles and 8-5 in doubles) and has his nose to the grindstone to make the medal stand at conference this year. He is a dynamic leader and helps organize practice and get the team warmed up for matches. It would be impossible to have this team without him.

I hope you can make your way to Galesburg this spring and catch a match or two.

John Ballie '08
Head Men's Tennis Coach

Student-Athlete Spotlight

Kelly Ricketts is a junior volleyball and women's basketball player from Galesburg, Illinois. Kelly is an elementary education major, with career goals of being an English teacher and coach. Kelly plays outside hitter in volleyball and post in basketball. She was named to the first team All-Midwest Conference volleyball team for the second year in a row this past fall.

Where is your favorite place to eat in Galesburg? Sully’s Pub

What person would you like to have a meal with? Why? Grandpa Ricketts -- I can only imagine from knowing my dad and aunts and uncles how amazing he must have been.

What is your favorite sports team? Chicago Bears!

What’s your favorite city to visit? The Monmouth/Little York area. We have a ton of family that lives there, so it's always a good time when I go there.

What’s your most memorable Knox moment? So far it has to be our women's basketball team beating Lake Forest the second to last game this year -- the first time this has happened since the 1986-87 season.

What is your favorite thing about Knox? The people here are awesome! So many people have gone so far out of their way to help me and others.

What things do you like to do in your free time? I love to play and listen. I also enjoy music, working out, reading, and hanging out with my brothers and friends.

What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you? During try-outs for YMCA basketball in second grade, we went around to different stations doing different drills. I got to the lay-up station, started crying, and sat out the rest of the try-out because I didn't know how to do a lay-up.

What’s your favorite meal? I love tacos!

Athletic News

Baseball Spring Break Video

Winning four of five games brought the Prairie Fire players home with confidence as they get ready to embark on the remainder of the season. See behind-the-scenes footage as they show off new haircuts and visit the Minnesota Twins practice.

Softball Spring Break Video

Coming home with two wins in eight chances might seem to be cause for frustration, but that's not the case for the Prairie Fire softball team. Enjoying some team bonding, along with the chance to meet Olympic gold medalist Dr. Dot Richardson and the Ococee, Florida, mayor, Scott Vandergrift, made this a memorable break for the women of the Knox Softball team. Watch the softball spring break video.

All-Conference QB/Receiver finds a Home in Division I

John Wozniak ’99, an all-conference quarterback and receiver at Knox, recently accepted a position with the University of Alabama at Birmingham football staff as the running backs coach and co-special teams coordinator for the Blazers. Read about John's new position.

Student-Athletes Named Winter Academic All-MWC

Knox College is well represented on the 2010-2011 Winter Academic All-Conference Team. The Midwest Conference released names of the 334 honorees from its 10 colleges on Wednesday. The Prairie Fire has 29 students from six winter sports recognized. Read about the winter academic All-MWC members.

Goedeke ’11 represents Knox, USA on basketball trip

Playing basketball in Europe with players from across Italy is not how most Prairie Fire athletes spend their summer vacation. But thanks to USA Athletes International, Prairie Fire basketball player Matt Goedeke '11 got to do exactly that last summer. Read exerpts from Matt's trip journal.

Carlson Earns All-MWC Recognition

The Prairie Fire's floor general is among the Midwest Conference's elite basketball players. The league selected junior point guard Tanner Carlson '12 as a member of the Midwest Conference Honorable Mention Team for his outstanding play during the 2010-11 season. Read more about Tanner's recognition.

2011 Baseball Season Preview

Prairie Fire baseball brings both experience and youth into the 2011 season, hoping that mix results in the team's goal of a Midwest Conference Championship. Read about the 2011 baseball season.

2011 Softball Season Preview

Prairie Fire softball players are reminded every day at practice to play the 2011 season with a purpose. The message is literally with them each time they take the field, with the word PURPOSE in purple on the back of each player's practice shirt. Read about the softball season.