The Phoenix Mercury to Xavier College Prep pipeline just got stronger. Following the retirement of Jennifer Gillom earlier this month after her second stint with the school, Xavier has found its new basketball coach—Elijah Knox. The 35-year-old former WNBA player development coach, who previously worked with both the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm, steps into the spotlight to lead the storied program.
Knox follows in the impressive footsteps of Gillom, the Mercury’s first-ever player in franchise history and the creator of the iconic "Mighty Mercury" chant. But this isn't his first time working with Xavier's talent. He’s already been training three key starters—Noelle Guiamatsia, Maureen Ulrich, and Dominique Nesland—from the 2024 Open Division girls high school championship team. That insider knowledge gives him a head start in shaping the roster.
Knox has his sights set on restoring Xavier to perennial Open Division contender status. The Gators reached the quarterfinals in 2025 but faced a first-round exit in 2026. "Long-term, I definitely want to get back to a place where Xavier is a place people want to come, 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."
Knox brings deep Arizona ties to the bench. After moving from Chicago as a sophomore, he played prep ball at Cave Creek Cactus Shadows under coach Dirk Walker before heading to Simpson College, where he starred as a point guard. Even while in college, he began coaching, and after graduating, he jumped into AAU basketball. By 2015, he was back in Arizona working as a personal trainer at Life Time Fitness, growing his business so rapidly that he launched his own training program, Arizona Athletics, for youth teams.
His big break into the WNBA came during the COVID-19 pandemic when Madeline Sulka, then a video coordinator with the Mercury, reached out to see if he was available. "I made time," Knox said, and that decision launched a new chapter in his coaching career. Now, he’s bringing that professional-level development experience to Xavier, ready to build a program that combines academic excellence with championship-caliber basketball.