Emily Cline was named the head women’s basketball coach at Knox College on May 26, 2008.
Cline’s teams have steadily improved in her time at Knox and the team has finished with a winning record in each of the last five seasons (70-51 overall). The team made their first Midwest Conference Tournament appearance in over 20 years in 2017-18. They returned to the MWC tourney in 2019-20. In both 2017-18 and 2019-20 the team won 16 games, the most since 1989-90. They also set a new school record with 11 conference wins in each of those seasons.
Cline has recruited and coached the all-time leading scorer Jarrelyn McCall as well as third and fourth on the all-time list. The team has set 20 school records in her time at Knox and she is the winningest coach in the history of the women’s basketball program. The 2015-15 team led the nation in rebounds per game and were second in the country in scoring (90.0 points per game).
Cline’s Prairie Fire squads have set numerous new school records during her tenure, including 18 by the 2014-15 team that led NCAA Division III in steals per game (18.5) and offensive rebounds per game (22.1) while ranking second in the nation in scoring offense (90.0 points per game) and 3-point field goals per game (10.5). Knox also posted the most wins by the program in Midwest Conference play since the 1996-97 season and broke through with the most victories in a season since the 2001-02 campaign.
- What is your favorite Knox memory?
There are so many it is hard to choose, but my favorite non-athletics memory would be when President Obama came to Knox. My favorite athletic memories are the first time we beat St. Norbert in school history, the first time we beat Monmouth in years, and the first time we qualified for the Midwest Conference Tournament.
- What do you love most about your job?
Getting to work with young people and watching them grow and mature on and off the court. Also, I love practice because you can see team and individual improvement that might not be as obvious in a game setting.
- What do you love about Knox?
The student-athletes I get to coach, the people and how it is a global institution. I also love how Knox has invested so much in athletics in my time here. It started with President Taylor and Chad Eisele and has continued with President Amott and Daniella Irle. The growth in athletics in my 13 years has been incredible and I really love the progress we have made as an institution and department.
- What advice would you give your younger self knowing where you are today?
Control what you can control and let the rest go. Also, don’t worry about what people think just try to do the right thing. Most importantly, put my faith first because it is the most important thing in my life.
- What do you enjoy most about Division 3?
I love that I get to coach really good people who are smart and motivated. I also love that the student-athlete experience is really important and that basketball is a big part of a student-athlete’s experience but they can experience other things as well.
- How has your coaching style changed with different generations of students?
I think I have learned to be less worried about things going perfect and trying to focus on the process. I think I am more laid back in practice and games than I was earlier in my career.
***Story courtesy of Knox College***
