FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 9, 2007

Contact: Brian Thiessen
Sports Information Director
309-341-7714
bthiesse@knox.edu

Knox Hires Head Volleyball and Women's Soccer Coaches

Nikki McLellan was named the head women's soccer coach and Kim Schrader was tabbed as the head volleyball coach at Knox College today. McLellan joins the Prairie Fire after serving as an assistant coach at Grinnell College last season. McLellan was also named Director of the E. & L. Andrew Fitness Center and Intramural Director. She will begin her duties July 1. Schrader, currently the assistant to the athletic director at Knox, replaces Kathy Wagoner, who is retiring from coaching at the end of the academic year.

McLellan replaces Jim Carothers, who coached the Knox women’s soccer team while also serving as the head girl's soccer coach at Galesburg High School.

“The new fitness center allowed us to make this a full-time position, and Nikki will be a great fit in our department," said Knox College Director of Athletics Chad Eisele. "She is energetic and has a successful soccer background as both a player and as a coach. We are excited to name Nikki as our head women's soccer coach."

In her one season with the Grinnell women's soccer program, McLellan assisted in preparing practice plans, scouted opponents and helped in recruiting among her many responsibilities. In 2006, the Pioneers finished 15-3-1 overall, were a perfect 9-0 in Midwest Conference play, won the MWC conference tournament, and advanced to the NCAA Division III National Tournament. McLellan also served as the Director of Intramural and Club Sports, and was the staff advisor for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at Grinnell.

"I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to join the Knox community at this exciting time," said McLellan. "We have a great group of committed student-athletes on the women's soccer team, and I look for big strides to be taken with the program over the next couple of years."

During her highly-successful playing career at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, McLellan was selected to the Middle Atlantic All-Conference Team four times. She holds single-season and career school records for goals (12 in a season, 32 in her career), assists (11 season, 25 career) and points (29 season, 89 career). She was also named the Bargerstock Award winner as the Female Athlete of the Year in 2005-06.

McLellan earned her degree in Sports Management from Juniata College in 2006. She is pursuing her master's degree in Sports Leadership from Duquesne University.

Schrader has been involved in intercollegiate athletics for 14 years, including the past seven years in the Knox College athletic department. She is the assistant to the athletic director and was an assistant women’s basketball coach with the Prairie Fire during the 2005-06 season.

“I care fiercely about the student-athletes of Knox College, and am thrilled at this opportunity to contribute to the positive growth of our great College by coaching a sport I love,” said Schrader.

As a student at Marquette University, Schrader was a three-year letterwinner on the volleyball team. She served as head volleyball coach and assistant softball coach at Quincy University for three years before joining the Knox College admissions department in the summer of 1997. She moved to the Knox athletic department in the summer of 2000.

“Kim has done a great job fulfilling her duties in my year on the job,” said Eisele. “To see Kim in a new role at Knox is exciting. I know she is looking forward to this new opportunity.”

Founded in 1837, Knox is a national liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, with students from 46 states and 50 nations. Knox's 'Old Main' is a National Historic Landmark and the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.

--www.knox.edu/sports--