Coach Billy Livezey enters his fourth season at Spurgeon College, while first arriving in May of 2022. The 2022-2023 season marked Coach Livezey’s first season with the Knights where he took over a basketball program that had won only five games over the previous three seasons combined before his arrival. From day one, Coach Livezey brought an intense and tough style of play to the court. This “play the right way” and "faithful" team-first culture resulted in the men's basketball program breaking all the previous team and athletic records in Spurgeon College history. Since his arrival, Livezey has orchestrated one of the most dramatic and remarkable program turnarounds in all of small college basketball.
The 2024-2025 season was another historic campaign for the Knights, as they achieved a 25-5 record, the best win percentage in Spurgeon College athletics history. They went on a 15-game win streak, earned back-to-back regular season championships, first Central Region Tournament championship in school history, and made back-to-back National Tournament appearances. The Knights also made back-to-back National Final Four appearances and reached the National Championship game for the first time in Spurgeon's athletic history. They finished the regular season rated as the #1 team in the country, leading the nation in at least twelve statistical categories including three seasons in a row in points per game (104.7) and scoring margin (+23.5). The team broke multiple league and college records during the season, and three players earned All-Region honors.
In the 2023-2024 season, Coach Livezey continued to build upon his first season success, leading the Knights to a 20-7 record, the best win percentage in Spurgeon College history at the time. This season also saw the Knights win their first-ever National Tournament game, reaching the NCCAA final four and finishing with a 6-1 record against Top 10 opponents. The team was rated #1 in the nation according to power ratings, and they led the country in at least ten statistical categories, including points per game and scoring margin. Additionally, the team earned two First Team All-Region selections, and the National Player of the Year award. The Knights finished 3rd in the nation to end their season.
In the 2022-23 season, Livezey’s first season with Spurgeon College, he was named the Coach of the Year. In his inaugural year, the Knights had two players earn All-Region and one All-American award. The team set school records for wins and every statistical category imaginable, including Points, PPG, FGM, FG%, 3PTM, 3PT%, FTM, FT%, Rebounds, Assists, Steals, and Blocks. Livezey coached one of the most high-octane offenses in all of college basketball while running the #1 scoring offense in the country.
Under Coach Livezey’s leadership, discipleship, and mentorship the Spurgeon Knights have accomplished great things on and off the court. Not only shaping his players as better athletes but also as strong Christ-like individuals.
Prior to his days in Kansas City, Livezey coached at Cairn University, where Jason O’Connell mentored him. While at Cairn University, he was a part of the most historic run-in school history. He helped lead the Highlanders to their first CSAC regular season championship, first CSAC conference championship, first NCAA National Tournament appearance, and the most wins in the university’s history. During his time at Cairn, they were #1 overall in the CSAC in PPG, FG%, 3FG%, FG% Defense, and RPG. They were also Top 25 in the NCAA DIII (416 teams) in at least 8 different statistical categories, including 2nd in Total Rebounds (1257), 4th in Rebounding Margin (+11), 6th in Offensive Rebounds Per Game (15.59), 15th in Scoring Offense (88.0), and 23rd in Assists (455). Off the court, Cairn's men’s basketball teams were awarded the CSAC 3-D Award (Discover, Develop, Dedicate), the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award, and 7 players were recognized on the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honors Court. Livezey also coached at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. At OPSU, Livezey joined a program that was 0-20 in the Sooner Athletic Conference the season before he came aboard. In his first season there, Livezey helped lead the Aggies to the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament Playoffs and ran one of the most successful defenses in the SAC that season. The Aggies led the SAC in forced turnovers, forced steals, steals per game, offensive rebounds per game, and turnover margin.
Livezey started coaching basketball at Katahdin High School, Dayspring Christian Academy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill camps, and the Alexander Basketball Academy. At ABA, he coached and mentored more than 100 of the top international student-athletes from more than 35 different countries.
Livezey earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management from Lancaster Bible College. He went on to earn his Master of Science in Organizational Leadership at Cairn University. In the four seasons that Livezey competed as a men’s basketball student-athlete, he was a part of four conference championship games and three national tournament appearances. As the team captain for the LBC Chargers, he was one of two athletes in the history of LBC athletics to win two Conference Championships and appear in two NCAA National Tournaments. Livezey was born and raised in the state of Maine, where he competed as an athlete in football, basketball, and baseball.
Billy and his wife, Eliana, currently reside in Kansas City, Missouri with their son Billy James. Eliana also serves the men's basketball program as the Media Director.
