Bob Amsberry has established Wartburg College as one of the elite programs in NCAA Division III women's basketball. Entering his 20th season in 2025–26, Amsberry has led the Knights to unprecedented success, including nine consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, three Final Four berths, and seven American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) championships over the past decade.
Coaching Legacy & Career Achievements
- 515 career wins (as of 2025)
- 13 NCAA Tournament appearances
- 3 NCAA Final Four appearances (2016, 2018, 2024)
- 7 A-R-C regular season titles
- 6 A-R-C tournament titles
- Awarded the WBCA Pat Summit National Coach of the Year Trophy (2018)
- 6× A-R-C Coach of the Year
- 4× Iowa Basketball Coaches’ Association Coach of the Year
- 4× Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference Coach of the Year
- 5 All-Americans
- 52 All-Conference selections
Decade of Dominance (2015–2025)
Over the past 10 seasons, Wartburg has set the standard in the American Rivers Conference:
- Regular Season Conference Record: 135–15 (.900)
- Overall Record: 243–42 (.853)
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 9
- Final Four Appearances: 3
- A-R-C Regular Season Titles: 7
- A-R-C Tournament Titles: 6
Season Highlights
- 2024–25: Finished 26–3, undefeated in A-R-C play (16–0) for 2nd straight season. Won both regular season and tournament titles. Advanced to NCAA Round of 32. Ranked No. 10 (WBCA), No. 16 (D3hoops). Team finished 6th in WBCA Academic Top 25 with a 3.81 team GPA. Amsberry named A-R-C Coach of the Year.
- 2023–24: Posted a 29–3 record and reached the NCAA Final Four. Won A-R-C regular season and tournament titles. Ranked No. 4 nationally. Jaedon Murphy named All-American. Ranked 3rd in WBCA Academic Honor Roll with a 3.846 team GPA. Amsberry named A-R-C Coach of the Year.
- 2022–23: Advanced to NCAA Sweet 16 by winning at defending national champion Hope College before falling to No.1 Christopher Newport University. Finished 23-7 and won A-R-C regular season title. Team GPA of 3.872 ranked #1 in WBCA Academic Honor Roll. Amsberry named A-R-C Coach of the Year.
- 2021–22: Returned to NCAA Tournament. A-R-C runner-up. WBCA Academic Honor Roll #18 with 3.806 team GPA. Finished 21–6 overall record.
- 2020–21: COVID-impacted season. A-R-C tournament semifinalist.
- 2019–20: A-R-C regular season and tournament champions becoming the only team to win four consecutive outright conference titles. Advanced to NCAA Round of 32. Finished 25–4. Amsberry named A-R-C Coach of the Year.
- 2018–19: Elite Eight finish. 27–4 record. A-R-C regular season and tournament champions. Ranked No. 7 (WBCA), No. 8 (D3hoops)
- 2017–18: Historic 31–1 season with undefeated regular season. Final Four appearance. Highest ever final national ranking at No. 3 (WBCA). Amsberry named A-R-C Coach of the Year and WBCA National Coach of the Year.
- 2016–17: A-R-C regular season and tournament champions. Advanced to the NCAA tournament. Finished 25–3. Amsberry named A-R-C Coach of the Year.
- 2015–16: Breakthrough Final Four run. Finished 23–8. Defeated three ranked teams enroute to regional title.
Career Background
Before joining Wartburg, Amsberry led a dramatic turnaround at Rockford University, taking a program with a 70-game losing streak to four NCAA Tournament appearances and three conference titles. He remains the all-time wins leader at both Rockford University and Wartburg College. In recognition of his impact, Amsberry was inducted into the Rockford University Athletics Hall of Fame in October 2025.
Prior to his head coaching career, Amsberry served as an assistant women's basketball coach at MacMurray College, where he helped lead a program turnaround that included a conference championship and the first NCAA tournament berth in school history.
A native of Dunlap, Iowa, Amsberry holds a B.A. from Buena Vista University and an M.S. in Physical Education from Western Illinois University. He and his wife, Erin, have two children and four grandchildren.
Under Amsberry
Conference MVPs: 7
All-Conference: 52
All-Region: 17
All-Americans: WBCA (2); D3hoops.com (3)
Coaching Awards/Honors
- United States Marine Corps/WBCA National Coach of the Year – 2018
- Finalist United States Marine Corps/WBCA National Coach of the Year – 2016, 2019, 2020, 2024
- Iowa Conference/American Rivers Conference Coach of the Year – 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025
- Iowa Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year – 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
- Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference Coach of the Year – 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006
- Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year – 2003, 2006
- All-time leader in wins at Rockford College
- All-time leader in wins at Wartburg College
- Head Coach for USA Sports Tours Division III Select Team (Brazil) – 2017
- Reached 500 career wins in Division III on Dec. 7, 2024 vs Central College
- 518 career wins ranks tied for 21st among active Division III head coaches (following the 2024-25 season)
Amsberry Year-By-Year
| Year |
Institution |
Overall Record |
Conference Record/Finish |
Post-Season |
| 1997-98 |
Rockford College |
0-25 [.000] |
0-10 [.000] 6th [NIIC] |
|
| 1998-99 |
Rockford College |
6-19 [.240] |
2-8 [.250] T-5th [NIIC] |
|
| 1999-00 |
Rockford College |
18-8 [.692] |
8-2 [.800] 2nd [NIIC] |
|
| 2000-01 |
Rockford College |
17-9 [.653] |
8-4 [.667] 2nd [NIIC] |
NCAA First Round |
| 2001-02 |
Rockford College |
14-11 [.560] |
6-6 [.500] 4th [NIIC] |
|
| 2002-03 |
Rockford College |
17-12 [.586] |
8-4 [.667] 2nd [NIIC] |
NCAA First Round |
| 2003-04 |
Rockford College |
16-10 [.615] |
10-2 [.833] 1st [NIIC] |
|
| 2004-05 |
Rockford College |
22-6 [.786] |
10-2 [.833] 1st [NIIC] |
NCAA First Round |
| 2005-06 |
Rockford College |
21-7 [.750] |
9-3 [.750] 1st [NIIC] |
NCAA First Round |
| Totals at Rockford |
9 Seasons |
131-107 [.550] |
61-41 [.598] |
3 conference titles / 4 NCAAs |
| 2006-07 |
Wartburg College |
13-13 [.500] |
8-8 [.500] 5th [IIAC] |
|
| 2007-08 |
Wartburg College |
13-11 [.542] |
6-10 [.375] 7th [IIAC] |
|
| 2008-09 |
Wartburg College |
16-11 [.593] |
10-6 [.625] T-2nd [IIAC] |
|
| 2009-10 |
Wartburg College |
18-8 [.692] |
12-4 [.750] 3rd [IIAC] |
|
| 2010-11 |
Wartburg College |
21-5 [.808] |
12-4 [.750] 3rd [IIAC] |
|
| 2011-12 |
Wartburg College |
18-9 [.667] |
10-6 [.635] T-3rd [IIAC] |
|
| 2012-13 |
Wartburg College |
16-10 [.615] |
9-5 [.643] 2nd [IIAC] |
|
| 2013-14 |
Wartburg College |
12-15 [.444] |
5-9 [.357] T-5th [IIAC] |
|
| 2014-15 |
Wartburg College |
17-11 [.607] |
6-8 [.429] T-5th [IIAC] |
|
| 2015-16 |
Wartburg College |
23-8 [.742] |
9-5 [.643] 3rd [IIAC] |
NCAA Final 4 |
| 2016-17 |
Wartburg College |
25-3 [.893] |
15-1 [.938] 1st [IIAC] |
NCAA First Round |
| 2017-18 |
Wartburg College |
31-1 [.969] |
16-0 [1.000] 1st [IIAC] |
NCAA Final 4 |
| 2018-19 |
Wartburg College |
27-4 [.871] |
15-1 [.938] 1st [A-R-C] |
NCAA Elite 8 |
| 2019-20 |
Wartburg College |
25-4 [.862] |
14-2 [.875] 1st [A-R-C] |
NCAA Second Round |
| 2020-21 |
Wartburg College |
13-3 [.813] |
6-2 [.750] 2nd [A-R-C] |
(COVID - no post-season tournament) |
| 2021-22 |
Wartburg College |
21-6 [.778] |
13-3 [.813] 2nd [A-R-C] |
NCAA First Round |
| 2022-23 |
Wartburg College |
23-7 [.767] |
15-1 [.938] 1st [A-R-C] |
NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 2023-24 |
Wartburg College |
29-3 [.906] |
16-0 [1.000] 1st [A-R-C] |
NCAA Final 4 |
| 2024-25 |
Wartburg College |
26-3 [.897] |
16-0 [1.000] 1st [A-R-C] |
NCAA Second Round |
| Totals at Wartburg |
19 seasons |
387-135 [.741] |
202-75 [.729] |
7 conference titles, 9 NCAAs, 3 Final Fours |
| Career Totals |
28 seasons |
518-242 [.673] |
263-116 [.694] |
10 conference titles, 13 NCAAs, 3 Final Fours |
