Nearly four decades after Levi “Knock” Knight last stood on the sidelines at Trinity University, former student-athletes can still hear his voice.
They remember the advice, the laughter, the tough love—and an unmistakable refrain: “Hey baby, ain’t got no time!”
“Knock was one of, if not the most beloved and respected individuals on the athletic staff,” remembers baseball and football player Scott Williams ’89. “I am so grateful to have had this kind and generous man in my life.”
Williams helped turn those memories into something permanent. Together with more than 30 alumni and friends whose lives were touched by Knight, Williams spearheaded an effort to carry Knight’s legacy forward through a tribute wall, dedicated during Alumni Weekend 2026.
Knight served Trinity Athletics as an athletic trainer and equipment manager from 1946 to 1954 and from 1962 to 1990. Yet, his influence extended far beyond his job.
William Thompson ’88 remembers Knight’s extraordinary care after a devastating knee injury. Though doctors initially thought he might never run again, Knight’s persistence helped him return to competitive sports.
Kim Lieder Abramson ’88 remembers that same care at a time when Women’s Soccer was still relatively new at Trinity. “I would get knocked around on the field,” she recalls. “Knock always took care of my injuries as if I was a star football player. He was a knight in the truest sense of the word—always a kind and noble soul.”
Jody Thompson ’87 remembers Knight as “unflappable,” kind even when frustrated, and positive when disappointed. To Tom Gerhardt ’91, Knight was “a living institution” whose stories and no-nonsense approach made him feel at home.
Knight died in March 2001 and was inducted into the Trinity Athletic Hall of Fame that same year. While Knight has already secured his place in Trinity’s history, the new tribute wall preserves something more personal: the man behind that legacy.
For a man famous for saying he had no time, decades of Tiger athletes remember just how much of it he gave them. Now, as new Tigers, athletes, coaches, and staff pass his wall and discover his story, they, too, will understand why Levi “Knock” Knight meant so much to so many. Moreover, they will gain an understanding of the essence of what it means to be part of the Tiger family.
View more photos of the tribute wall dedication event here.