Akyia Baker has been named the new women’s flag football coach at Knox College.
The team’s inaugural season is set for spring 2027 as a club sport, with plans to transition to varsity status in the 2027-28 academic year, according to a community announcement.
Baker has experience coaching flag football at the collegiate level. She has been serving as an assistant coach and program coordinator at Purdue University Northwest in Hammond, Indiana, since January 2025. She also has been working as an athletics operations assistant at Purdue Northwest since August 2025.
At Purdue Northwest, Baker helped lead the Pride to a 9-3 overall record in their first season.
“The chance to be a part of a sport that is growing so fast right now was an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up,” Baker said, according to the announcement. “I wanted a role where I could step up, lead, and build a program from the ground up here at Knox.”
‘Coach Ky immediately stood out’
Knox College Athletic Director Justin Newell expressed excitement about Baker’s appointment.
“Coach Ky immediately stood out for her energy and passion, not only for the game of flag football, but for competition,” Newell said, according to the announcement. “It was clear she wants to be more than a coach; she wants to be an active, engaged member of the Knox community. I’m so excited for her to lead our new program!”
Flag football has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the country at the youth, high school and collegiate levels, according to the announcement.
Baker is eager to create a competitive yet inclusive environment.
“We’re going to build a highly competitive environment, but it’s also going to be an open and welcoming culture for everyone involved, from players to fans,” Baker said. “You can expect a program where people are excited to show up every day, work hard, and honestly, just have a lot of fun doing it.”
This story was created by reporter Nida Tazeen, NTazeen@usatodayco.com , with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Knox College taps Akyia Baker to lead flag football debut in 2027
