Xavier hires WNBA player development coach to lead basketball program

The Phoenix Mercury to Xavier College Prep pipeline continues. After Jennifer Gillom decided to retire earlier this month following her second stint with the school, Xavier has found its new basketball coach. Elijah Knox has been hired to lead the Xavier program.

Knox, 35, is a former player development coach with the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm. He follows in the footsteps of Gillom, who was the Mercury’s first player in franchise history and created the “Mighty Mercury” chant. He’s already been involved with the program, training three starters — Noelle Guiamatsia, Maureen Ulrich and Dominique Nesland — from the 2024 Open Division girls high school championship team.

Knox hopes to get Xavier back to being a perennial Open contender. The Gators reached the quarterfinals in 2025 and lost in the first round in 2026. “Long-term, I definitely want to get back to a place where Xavier is a place people want to come there, obviously for the academics and the network, but also for basketball,” Knox said.

“I think it won’t take long to turn around. I’m hoping that in June ball, people can see the product we’re putting out there to really understand what we’re trying to do. ” A former prep player at Cave Creek Cactus Shadows after moving from Chicago as a sophomore, Knox has deep ties to the state.