Trish Kissiar-Knight, a Licking native, resigned last week as Missouri State University-West Plains volleyball coach and accepted the head coaching position at Texas Tech University.
Knight, who has been with the Lady Grizzly volleyball program since its beginning 16 years ago, starts her new duties Saturday in Lubbock, Texas.
“This has been a labor of love coaching the Missouri State-West Plains Lady Grizzlies, but the Texas Tech position is an awesome opportunity,” Knight said. “It’s hard to leave but I wanted to make a career change, and this opportunity arose. I’m excited to go to this level to see what I can do.”
Under Knight, the Lady Grizzlies went 676-170-3, earning 10 consecutive Region 16 championships and making 10 consecutive appearances at the national tournament.
“Because of everything Trish Knight has accomplished, we always knew this day would probably come,” said Herb Lunday, dean of student services/athletic director. “Nevertheless, it is never easy to say ‘so long’ to a person of such incredible talent. Trish has reported to me for the past 16 years, and throughout that time she has also been a good friend. We will miss her very much.”
Knight has been the only head coach of the Lady Grizzly volleyball program, coming on board in 1993 after a successful 14-year tenure as head volleyball coach at West Plains High School. She quickly established the Lady Grizzly program as a power in the junior college ranks, reaching the region championship match in the team’s first season. The Lady Grizzlies went on to win the region championship 1999, and they have successfully defended that title the past nine seasons.
Knight led the Lady Grizzlies to their first NJCAA national tournament in 1999, finishing eighth in that inaugural appearance. Since then, they’ve returned every season, reaching the championship match in 2002 and 2003.
Knight has earned 12 Region 16 Coach of the Year honors, 10 NJCAA District Coach of the Year honors, two American Volleyball Coaches Association Tachikara Junior College/Community College Midwest Region Coach of the Year honors, and was elected to the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2005. She also was named Most Caring Coach by USAToday Weekend Magazine in 2005, and was inducted to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in February 2008.
She has developed 25 NJCAA All-Americans, including 13 first-team selections; eight NJCAA Academic All-Americans, including three Distinguished Academic All-Americans; and the Grizzlies have received the NJCAA’s Fall Academic Team of the Year honor four times (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006). She won her 600th game as a collegiate coach in 2006.
Knight inherits a Texas Tech program that finished the 2008 season 5-25 and 0-19 in the Big 12 Conference.
“This will be a huge challenge for me, but I’m looking forward to getting busy rebuilding the program,” she said. “The Red Raiders are in one of the strongest conferences in the country. Two of its members, Texas and Nebraska, made the NCAA Final Four in volleyball this season. I hope to continue to have a great relationship with the Lady Grizzly program as we build a new program at Texas Tech, and I wish the Lady Grizzlies and Missouri State-West Plains all the best.”
Chancellor Drew Bennett said a search for a new head coach for the Lady Grizzly volleyball program will begin after the first of the year.
“Coach Knight has helped Missouri State-West Plains establish a program that is recognized throughout the country,” Bennett said. “On behalf of the faculty, staff and students of Missouri State-West Plains, I would like to thank coach Knight for a great job and say ‘good luck’ in the future as she moves on to advance her career.”