Dr. Amber Warners will head into her 24th year as head Calvin women's volleyball coach in the fall of 2025 In addition to her duties as Calvin women's volleyball head coach, she is the associate athletics director at Calvin and is a professor of kinesiology.
She also served as interim head volleyball coach at Hope College in 1994. Through the 2024 fall season, Warners has compiled an impressive overall record of 677-116 for a winning percentage of .854 that ranks second amongst all active Division III head coaches in terms of winning percentage. As Calvin’s head coach, she has compiled a record of 624-97 for a winning percentage of .865. Under Warners the Knights have won three national championships, doing so in 2010, 2013 and 2016. She has also led Calvin to 13 campaigns of 30 wins or more.
Warners is a four-time AVCA Division III National Coach of the Year (2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014). Warners is tied for second on the all-time NCAA Division III AVCA National Coach of the Year Award list. Former Juniata head coach Larry Bock leads the list with five National Coach of the Year awards while Warners and former UW-Whitewater coach Kris Russell has both received four National Coach of the Year awards. She is also a seven-time AVCA Division III Great Lakes Coach of the Year, winning in 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 & 2023. Warners has coached seven AVCA Division III Player of the Year winners, Rebecca Kamp in 2011, Lizzie Kamp in 2012, Megan Rietema in 2013, Maggie Kamp in 2014, Anna Kamp in 2017, Sarah DeVries in 2018 & 2019 and Heidi Westra in the fall of 2021. In addition, she has had five of her players go on to be named Academic All-Americans of the Year, most recently Heidi Westra in 2022.
Warners has led Calvin to 19 NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, including appearances in the NCAA Division III regional finals in 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 & 2022. Under Warners, Calvin has claimed 15 MIAA Tournament titles - doing so in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 & 2022. She has led Calvin to 14 MIAA regular season titles, doing so in 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & (spring season) 2021, 2022 & 2023.
Coach Warners has put together a record of 287-21 in MIAA matches, for a winning percentage of .932. She has helped coach six perfect 16-0 seasons and three 8-0 campaigns. During her time at Calvin, she has had a player named MIAA MVP 15 times.
In the spring of 2021, she led Calvin to a 9-1 record and an MIAA regular season title. She followed in the fall of 2021 by leading the Knights to a 32-4 mark that included an MIAA Tournament title, NCAA III Great Lakes Regional Tournament crown and advancement to the NCAA III Championship final. The appearance in the national title match was Calvin's six appearance in the title tilt under her leadership. In 2022, she led Calvin to MIAA regular season and MIAA Tournament titles as well as a trip to the NCAA III Regional Tournament final with the Knights finishing 27-4 overall.
Calvin's 2019 team went 27-3, capturing MIAA regular season, MIAA Tournament and Great Lakes Regional Tournament titles, advancing to the national quarterfinals for the fourth straight year.
In 2018, Calvin produced its ninth consecutive 30-win campaign, finishing 33-2 overall. The Knights posted a perfect 8-0 league record and captured the MIAA Tournament title. Calvin moved through the NCAA III Tournament, winning its third straight regional crown with a thrilling five-set win over Wittenberg. Calvin then reached the NCAA III Tournament final for the sixth time in program history before falling in the final to Emory University.
The 2017 season saw the Knights go 30-4 and advance to the NCAA Division III Semifinals. Calvin posted a perfect 16-0 record in MIAA play. Anna Kamp was named the AVCA NCAA Division III National Player of the Year. She posted her 500th career victory with a 3-0 victory over Hope, to clinch the MIAA regular season title.
In 2016, coach Warners won her third national title with Calvin. The Knights finished the year with a 33-1 record and a perfect 16-0 record in MIAA play. The Knights defeated Washington University in St. Louis in three sets to win the national title. Alyssa Scholten was named the NCAA Elite 90 Winner.
Warners helped lead the Knights to the NCAA Division III regional finals in 2015. For the second-straight year, she was named the AVCA Division III Great Lakes Coach of the Year. On September 12, 2015, she recorded her 400th victory here at Calvin College, defeating No. 9 Hope College, 3-0.
In 2014, she led Calvin to an MIAA regular season co-championship, an MIAA Tournament title and a trip to the NCAA Division III semifinals. She was named the 2014 AVCA Division III National Coach of the Year. She also was named the 2014 Division III Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year. She claimed her 400th collegiate win in a victory at Albion College on October 3, 2014.
In 2013, she led Calvin to its second national title in four years as the Knights defeated Cal Lutheran University in five sets. She was subsequently named the AVCA Division III National Coach of the Year for the third time in four years. The Knights finished the year with a 35-1 record.
In 2012, she was once again named the AVCA Division III National Coach of the Year after leading her team to the national championship finals. Calvin captured the regional title with an upset win over second-ranked Wittenberg University.
She landed her third Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year honor in 2011 after leading Calvin to a 33-1 record which included a number-one national ranking throughout the regular season. She picked up her 300th collegiate victory in a win at Albion College on October 7, 2011.
In 2010, she led Calvin to its first-ever NCAA Division III title in women's volleyball as the Knights defeated top-ranked Emory University in four sets. She was later named the 2010 AVCA Division III National Coach of the Year. The Knights finished the year with a 32-4 record.
The 2009 season saw Warners’ Knights advance to the second-round of the NCAA Tournament. Calvin finished the year at 28-7 and won the MIAA Tournament with a 3-1 victory over host Hope in the finals, 3-1.
In 2008, she was once again named Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year after leading a youthful Calvin team to a record of 26-5 including an NCAA III Tournament bid. Warners picked up her 200th collegiate victory in a five-set victory over Carnegie-Mellon University on August 30, 2008, at the Ohio Northern Invitational.
Warners helped lead the Knights to a second-straight MIAA regular season title at 15-1 in the MIAA in 2007. The Knights would go onto to the NCAA Tournament after defeating Hope in the MIAA Finals, 3-0.
In 2006, she was named Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association after leading Calvin to a 34-2 record. Warners was named the MIAA Coach of the Year after recording a perfect 16-0 record in MIAA play.
In 2003 to 2005 the Knights would record three-straight second-place finishes in the MIAA. Calvin would go on to win the MIAA Tournament in 2004 and 2005.
In her first season as head coach in 2002, Calvin recorded a second-place finish in the MIAA, with an overall record of 26-7.
Warners has also served an eight-year tenure as Calvin’s softball coach where she led the Knights to pair of NCAA III Tournament berths. In 1997, she took Calvin all the way to the NCAA III Softball World Series where she was honored as Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year.
Warners previously taught at Holland Christian High School where she coached softball and volleyball. In 1994, she guided the Maroons to the MHSAA Class B Volleyball State Championship game.
Warners also served as the interim head volleyball coach at Hope College in 1994, compiling a 21-11 record.
A 1990 Calvin graduate, Warners was a former two-sport standout for Calvin in volleyball and softball. As a Calvin student-athlete, Warners was a member of six Calvin teams that captured MIAA Championships, three in softball and three in volleyball. Calvin also earned six NCAA III Tournament bids, three each in softball and volleyball. She was an outfielder on Calvin softball teams finished fifth in the nation in 1989 and fourth in 1990. She also was a member of the Calvin volleyball team that finished second nationally in 1986. She was twice named the league’s MVP as a setter and was named to the All-MIAA first team three times.
As a Calvin senior, Warners was honored with the Kay Tiemersma Award, an award presented annually to the varsity women's athlete who best exemplifies athletic ability, scholastic standing, and character and leadership.
Warners earned her master's degree from Michigan State University in sports psychology in 1996. She also received her Ph.D. from Michigan State.
She and her husband Mark have three sons: Emmett, Carson, and Tanner. Also a Calvin graduate, Mark is a teacher at Grand Rapids Christian High School and serves as one of Calvin's assistant men's basketball coaches.
