The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Intercollegiate Athletics Department has named Amber Dunn as its volleyball head coach and associate lecturer in the Exercise Sport Science Department. Dunn completed her second season as head volleyball coach at The State University of New York at Geneseo in 2016.
“I am thrilled to be continuing my career back in the Midwest,” said Dunn. “I want to thank Kim Blum (UWL Director of Athletics) and her staff on offering me this opportunity. I am honored to be joining the Eagle community and I look forward to working with the quality student-athletes UW-La Crosse attracts.
“With the high academic programs and nationally competitive athletics department, the sky is the limit,” added Dunn. “I will continue to recruit the type of student-athlete that strives for success on and off the volleyball court. I am excited to push this program to its highest potential.”
Dunn led SUNY Geneseo to a 17-15 overall record in 2016, qualifying for the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament for the first time since 2011. The Knights, 5-4 in conference play last season, were the tournament’s fifth-seed and defeated fourth-seeded SUNY Fredonia in the quarterfinals before dropping its semifinal match to top-seeded and eventual tournament champion SUNY Brockport. SUNY Geneseo advanced to the tournament semifinals for the first time 2010.
A pair of freshmen were named to the 2016 All-SUNYAC Team under Dunn’s tutelage. She helped lead the Knights to a 16-18 overall record in her first season as head coach in 2015. Dunn developed the first summer volleyball camp program at SUNY Geneseo, offering ways to improve the level of volleyball to youth student-athletes.
Prior to arriving at SUNY Geneseo, Dunn served as an assistant volleyball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point from 2012-14. The Pointers won three Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) regular-season titles all three years and two league tournament titles (2013, 2014). UW-Stevens Point advanced to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships all three seasons, including trips to the national semifinals in 2013 and 2014.
The Pointers went 97-18 overall (.843) in Dunn’s three seasons as an assistant coach, including 29-8 in 2012, 35-5 in 2013 and 33-5 in 2014. UW-Stevens Point had a 21-match winning streak in 2014, capturing the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) Regional with a 3-0 record and advancing to the NCAA III Semifinals after a 3-2 win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges (Calif.) in the national quarterfinals. UW-Stevens Point finished fourth in the final American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top-25 Poll in 2014.
The team went 35-5 in 2013, recording the program’s most wins in 18 seasons. The Pointers won their first-ever WIAC Tournament crown in 2013 and went to the NCAA III Semifinals with a 3-0 victory over Hope College (Mich.) in the national quarterfinals. It was the team’s 24th consecutive win.
UW-Stevens Point went 21-3 (.875) in WIAC play from 2012-14.
A native of Hancock, Wisconsin, Dunn earned her bachelor’s degree from Viterbo University (Wis.) and her master’s degree from UW-Stevens Point. She was a four-year member of the Viterbo (Wis.) volleyball team from 2007-11, including three-year starter. A defensive specialist, Dunn served as team captain her senior season in 2010 and was a two-time member of the All-Midwest Collegiate Conference (MCC) Academic Team (2009, 2010). The V-Hawks finished 38-5 in 2010, winning the MCC title and finishing 27th in the final National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division I Poll.
Dunn was an assistant coach for Viterbo (Wis.) in 2011 as the V-Hawks finished 36-8 and finished 24th in the final national rankings of the season. Leading the junior varsity team to a 17-4 record in 2011, Dunn spent five seasons (2007-12) coaching the V-Hawk Power Club Team.
Press Release courtesy of UW-La Crosse Athletics.
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