Bob Amsberry has established Wartburg College as one of the NCAA Division III women's basketball's elite programs. Entering his 21st season as head coach in 2026–27, Amsberry has guided the Knights to 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, three Final Four berths, eight American Rivers Conference regular-season championships and six conference tournament titles.
During the past decade, Wartburg has compiled a 240–41 overall record and a 141–11 mark in conference play. The Knights have captured eight regular-season championships, six tournament titles and made eight NCAA Tournament appearances during that span.
Amsberry recorded his 538th career victory through the conclusion of the 2025–26 season, making him the all-time winningest coach at both Wartburg and Rockford University. His honors include the 2018 WBCA National Coach of the Year Award, seven American Rivers Conference Coach of the Year awards, four Iowa Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year awards and four Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference Coach of the Year awards. He has coached five All-Americans and 56 all-conference selections.
The 2015–16 season marked a breakthrough for Wartburg, as the Knights reached the program’s first Final Four. Selected as an at-large team, Wartburg defeated three ranked opponents enroute to the regional championship. The 2017–18 squad produced one of the finest seasons in program history, finishing 31–1, winning the conference championship and advancing to the NCAA Final Four. The Knights achieved the highest national ranking in program history, reaching No. 3.
Wartburg returned to the Final Four in 2024 after finishing 29–3, completing a perfect American Rivers Conference regular season and winning the postseason tournament. Amsberry has also led the Knights to memorable Elite Eight and Sweet 16 appearances. Wartburg is the only American Rivers Conference program to win four consecutive outright conference championships, a feat accomplished during both the 2017–20 and 2023–26 championship runs.
Before arriving at Wartburg, Amsberry transformed the Rockford University program. Taking over a team that had endured a 70-game losing streak, he guided the Regents to three conference championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances. He remains Rockford’s all-time winningest coach and was inducted into the Rockford University Athletics Hall of Fame in October 2025.
Earlier in his career, Amsberry served as an assistant women’s basketball coach at MacMurray College, helping produce a conference championship and the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance.
A native of Dunlap, Iowa, Amsberry earned a bachelor’s degree from Buena Vista University and a master’s degree in physical education from Western Illinois University. He and his wife, Erin, have two children and five grandchildren. Known for developing successful programs on and off the court, Amsberry has built a culture defined by competitive excellence, academic achievement and sustained success.
Under Amsberry:
Conference MVPs: 7
All-Conference: 56
All-Region: 18
National Freshman of the year: D3hoops.com (1)
All-Americans: WBCA (2); D3hoops.com (3)
Amsberry's Career 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 |
| 2025-26 |
Wartburg College |
20-7 [.740] |
15-1 [.938] |
|
| Totals at Wartburg |
20 seasons |
407-142 [.741] |
228-76 [.750] |
8 conference titles, 9 NCAAs, 3 Final Fours |
| Career Totals |
29 seasons |
538-249 [.684] |
289-117 [.712] |
11 conference titles, 13 NCAAs, 3 Final Fours |
