Florida Gators

CK Knop enters her second season as Assistant Coach. The two-time All-American was promoted to Assistant Coach at the start of the 2023 campaign. Head Coach Mary Wise announced the addition of Gator Great Caroline (CK) Knop as Florida's newest Volunteer Assistant Coach on July 25, 2022.
 
Knop’s Coaching Career:
At Florida:
In her first season as Assistant Coach, Knop help guide Florida to their 33rd consecutive NCAA Tournament, the third-longest active streak in the nation. The Gators set a new program record on Sept. 17, with 10,323 fans in the stands of the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. It is not only an O’Dome record, but also is the highest-attended match hosted by an SEC school all-time. It is also the highest attendance for an on-campus volleyball match in the state of Florida. Assisting primarily on the defensive end, Florida finished the 2023 campaign ranked in the Top-20 in the nation in blocks per set (19th | 2.68) total blocks (20th | 303.0). The Gators were second in the SEC in blocks per set, making it the 11th out of the last 13 seasons that the Gators have been among the Top-3 in the conference in blocks per set. Two Gators were ranked in the top-10 in blocks per set; Nnedi Okammor (2nd | 1.29) and Gabbi Essix (5th | 1.23). Additionally, she tutored All-American Kennedy Martin, who earned a spot on Second Team. The freshman was also named to AVCA All-Region and All-SEC.
 
In her first season on the sideline, Knop helped lead the Gators to their 29th Regional Semifinal after grabbing a 3-seed in the NCAA Tournament. It was Florida’s 32nd consecutive NCAA Tournament, the third-longest active streak in the nation. Florida finished 25-6 overall and 15-3 in the league en route to the team’s 25th SEC Championship. That mark is the third-best total in the entire conference among all sports since volleyball’s inception into the SEC in 1979. Assisting Boos with his defensive scheme, the Gators finished the 2022 season ranked in the Top-20 in the nation in blocks per set (10th | 2.73), opponent hitting percentage (10th | .158) and total blocks (19th | 309.0). Florida led the SEC in blocks per set and opponent hitting percentage, making it the 10th out of the last 12 seasons that the Gators have been among the Top-3 in the conference in blocks per set. Knop tutored two AVCA All-Americans, with both Marina Markova and Alexis Stucky earning a spot on the Third Team. She also tutored four AVCA All-Region selections, along with three All-SEC honorees.

At Charleston:
Prior to returning to Gainesville, Knop spent three seasons coaching at the College of Charleston. Under her tutelage, Charleston led the CAA in digs per set and the Cougars recorded the program's fifth-highest season total in service aces (195).

In her final season with Charleston, the team finished 16-12 overall and 9-7 in league play.

As a Player:
Most Gator fans are familiar with Knop's on-court success at Florida, with the Pasadena, Calif. native starting all 32 matches in UF's run to the NCAA Championship match in 2017. During her senior season, she notched 20-plus digs in seven matches and led the Gators with 4.46 digs per set.

Knop – a two-time AVCA All-American and two-time All-SEC honoree – boasted a .970 serve reception during the course of her senior campaign.

She averaged 4.42 digs per set during her two seasons at Florida, putting her second overall in the record books and her 517 digs during the '17 season rank fourth overall in program history.

Knop's Career Accolades:
Honors:

• Two-time AVCA All-America Honorable Mention (2016, 17)
• Two-time AVCA All-Southeast Region (2016, 17)
• Two-time All-SEC (2016, 17)
• 2017 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
• Sep. 26, 2016 SEC Defensive Player of the Week
• 2015 USAV Junior National Team -- European Gobal Challenge -- Gold Medalist
• Two-time USAV Junior National Training Team (2013-14)

As a Senior (2017)

• Starred for the Gators' during their run to the NCAA Championship match, despite playing the last month of the season with a broken bone in her hand
• Notched 20-plus digs in seven matches
• Led the Gators with 4.46 digs per set
• Boasted a .970 serve reception percentage on 566 total reception attempts
• Logged a season-high seven assists in a season-opening win over No. 1 Texas (Aug. 25)
• Had two of her 20-dig matches against Southern California in the NCAA Regional Championship (Dec. 9) and versus Stanford in the NCAA Semifinals (Dec. 14)

As a Junior (2016)

• Averaged a team-high 4.37 digs per set (seventh-highest single-season average in school history) and totaled a team-high 459 digs (10th-highest single-season total in school history)
• Totaled 23 digs against Florida State in the NCAA Tournament Second Round, tying the fifth-highest total in an NCAA Tournament match in school history
• Finished with a .983 serve reception percentage on 585 total serve receptions
• Ranked third on the team in service aces (20) and service aces per set (0.19)
• Posted double-digit digs in 25 matches and 20-plus digs in seven matches, including a career-high 31 in a four-set match at Ole Miss (Sep. 23)
• Came within one assist of a double-double against Georgia (Oct. 23), finishing with nine assists and 13 digs
• Led the Gators in digs in 24 of 31 matches
• Started all 31 matches and played all 105 sets at libero, her first season playing the position since high school
• Sep. 26 SEC Defensive Player of the Week