GALESBURG, ILL. – The Knox College Athletic Department is pleased to announce the addition of ten new staff members who have joined the Prairie Fire community this summer.

Matt Bowman joins Prairie Fire Athletics as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach. From 2017-21, Bowman served in the United States Marine Corps before playing football at Thomas University, where he was a three-year captain. He earned his bachelor's degree in Exercise and Sports Science from Thomas.

Lindsay Spring has joined the Prairie Fire Sports Medicine staff as an Assistant Athletic Trainer after completing the master's program in Athletic Training at Northern Illinois University. As part of her graduate program, Spring spent a year at Hampshire High School, working alongside the school's athletic trainer to provide care for approximately 800 student-athletes.

Devin Gephart is also joining Knox's Athletic Training staff as an Assistant Athletic Trainer. Gephart earned his master's degree in Athletic Training from Illinois State University after graduating from Augustana College in 2024 with a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology. While at Augustana, he was a member of the track and field team. During his time at Illinois State, Gephart gained experience working with NCAA Division I and Division III athletes.

On the football staff, Ty Rodgers takes over as the Offensive Coordinator, bringing 21 years of coaching experience in Texas and overseas. Rodgers has also studied at Hardin-Simmons University, Southwest Baptist University, and Liberty University.

The Prairie Fire are also welcoming back a familiar face in Jonathan Sarich, who returns to Knox as the Defensive Line Coach. A Knox graduate and former Prairie Fire football player, Sarich spent five seasons on the field for Knox. He was a two-time Academic All-Midwest Conference selection and earned CSC Academic All-District honors during his playing career.

Along with Rodgers and Sarich, James Gunter wraps up the football staff additions as the Wide Receivers Coach. Gunter played at the University of Virginia's College at Wise and was an Athletics Intern. At UVA-Wise, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Sport and Fitness Management in the Spring of 2026.

Micki Glass joins the Knox College Volleyball coaching staff as an Assistant Coach. A Boise, Idaho, native, Glass arrives in Galesburg after coaching beach volleyball at the College of Idaho, where the Yotes earned an 11th-place finish in the NAIA. Before her time at the College of Idaho, Glass spent eight seasons as the Head Coach at Southeastern Community College.
Glass was a two-sport collegiate athlete, competing in volleyball at Olympic College and the University of Jamestown and in track and field at Boise State University. She earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Jamestown and a master's degree in Sports Administration from Arkansas State University.

Chase Stiner joins the men's soccer staff as an Assistant Coach following four seasons at Buena Vista University, where he also served as an Assistant Coach. Stiner earned his bachelor's degree in Sports Management from Defiance College, where he played five seasons of soccer. After his playing career, he assisted the program with recruiting, budgeting, NCAA compliance, and team logistics.

Kevwe Akpore returns to Knox as the Assistant Women's Soccer Coach for his fourth stint with Prairie Fire Athletics. Akpore previously served as the Head Coach of both the men's and women's soccer programs at Knox. A longtime presence in the Galesburg soccer community, he has also coached at Carl Sandburg College. In addition to his contributions to local soccer, Akpore is a retired U.S. Army veteran who served multiple tours of duty in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and other locations.

Drew Frey rounds out the additions as the Director of Creative Media and Sports Information. Frey holds a master's degree in Sports Management from Missouri Baptist University and a bachelor's degree in Sports Management from Greenville University. He previously served as an Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant at Missouri Baptist and was a member of the baseball team at Greenville.

"What excites me most about this group is not just their experience and talent, but the energy and vision they bring to Prairie Fire Athletics. Across every corner of our department, they're helping us build on our momentum, strengthen our culture, and position our programs for continued success. It's an exciting time to be a Prairie Fire," said Justin Newell, Vice President and Director of Athletics.