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Amber Warners Named AVCA Division III National Coach of the Year in Women’s Volleyball
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Lexington, Ky. (November 21, 2012) - The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) has announced that Calvin College head women’s volleyball coach Amber Warners has been selected as the 2012 AVCA Division III National Coach of the Year. It marks the second time in three years that Warners has received the honor as she also received the award in 2010. She will officially receive the award at the Jostens Coaches Honors Luncheon in Louisville, Ky. on Thursday, December 13. The luncheon is held in conjunction with the 2012 AVCA Annual Convention.
In her 11th year at the helm of the Calvin women’s volleyball program, Warners has built a Division III powerhouse, leading the Knights to nine consecutive NCAA Tournaments. In 2012, Calvin once again proved it was one of the top teams in the nation, reaching the national championship match for the second time in three seasons, falling to the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) at Hope College after winning it all in 2010. Entering the NCAA Tournament,Calvin was ranked No. 1 in the nation and never fell below a No. 3 ranking the entire year.
Calvin Women’s AD Reflects on on NCAA III Record Volleyball Crowd 40 Years After Advent of Title IX
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
The past weekend marked a landmark for Calvin women’s athletics as the Calvin women’s volleyball team not only participated in the NCAA III Championship finals at Hope College - but did so in front of an NCAA III Finals record crowd of 3,517 fans. The record crowd comes during the 40-year anniversary of Title IX. Calvin Director of Women’s Athletics Dr. Nancy Meyer witnessed Saturday’s record crowd and reflected on the event in an opinion feature piece on the Grand Rapids Press/Mlive.com website. To read her opinion feature, please visit the Mlive website at: Nancy Meyer Mlive.com Opinion Piece
Volleyball Falls to St. Thomas in Five Sets in National Finals
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Story by Mitch Blankespoor
HOLLAND, MI – The Calvin College women’s volleyball team fell short in its bid for a second national title in three seasons. Down two sets to none, the University of St. Thomas Tommies came back to win a thrilling five set match in from of a record crowd of 3,517 fans by scores of 13-25, 17-25, 25-18, 25-16, 15-9.The Tommies were led by Greenfield, who was later named the NCAA III Tournament’s Most Valuable Player, and Kelly Foley. Each recorded 14 kills. Sarah Atkinson hit a .455 clip while recording 12 kills. Calvin was led by Crowe, who hit a .407 clip while scoring 14 kills. Junior setter Megan Rietema (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian) dished out 45 assists. Lizzie and Maggie Kamp each recorded 12 kills. Calvin finishes its season with a record of 33-3 and a national runner-up finish. The senior class for the Knights, consisting of Kim Start (Grand Rapids Christian), Lizzie Kamp (Orland Park, IL/Chicago Christian), Jen Pluymert (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian), Julia Hilbrands (Grand Rapids Christian), Kelly Gordon (Caledonia/South Christian), Becca Ratkov (New Baltimore/Anchor Bay), Kim Start (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian) and Megan Korber (Gilford, NH/Gilford) leave the Calvin volleyball program as the most successful class in program history. With a career record of 124-15, this group of seven women impacted the program on and off the court.
Calvin Volleyball Team Advances to National Title Match With Semifinal Win Over Christopher Newport
Saturday, November 17, 2012
(Story by MIAA Publicist Greg Chandler/Photo by Paul Evans)
HOLLAND, Mich. – Playing in front of a raucous, partisan crowd of 2,054, the Knights of Calvin (Mich.) College punched their ticket to their second NCAA Division III volleyball championship match in three years Friday night by defeating Christopher Newport (Va.), 25-19, 25-21, 23-25, 25-16, in a national semifinal match. The Knights (33-2), who won their first national championship in 2010 by defeating Emory (Ga.), will play the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) for the Division III title at 7 p.m. Saturday night at Hope College’s DeVos Fieldhouse, 37 miles from the Calvin campus in Grand Rapids. The Captains, who were the tournament’s top-seeded team, had its 32-match winning streak snapped and ended its season at 40-3.
Calvin Vball Defeats Puget Sound in Four Sets in Quarters - To Face Christopher Newport in Semis
Friday, November 16, 2012
(Story By MIAA Publicist Greg Chandler and Sports Information Intern Mitch Blankespoor/Photo by Paul Evans)
HOLLAND, Mich. – Playing less than 40 miles from their home campus, Calvin (Mich.) College dominated the final two sets Thursday night in defeating the University of Puget Sound (Wash.), 25-22, 23-25, 25-15, 25-10, in an NCAA Division III volleyball tournament quarterfinal at DeVos Fieldhouse. The Knights, who won the 2010 national championship,will take on 2011 national runnerup Christopher Newport (Va.) University (40-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday night in a Division III semifinal matchup. The other semifinal, at 5 p.m., pits St. Thomas (Minn.) (38-1) against Elmhurst (Ill.) (33-7).
Video of Postmatch Press Conference
Calvin/Christopher Newport Live Video Stream
Calvin Volleyball Team Gives Back Through Service Project Work at NCAA III Finals Week
Thursday, November 15, 2012
As part of its participation at the NCAA III Finals at Hope College this week, the Calvin volleyball team volunteered at Holland Rescue Mission in Holland. Calvin’s service work including raking leaves, cleaning toys and equipment and other work inside the facility. The Calvin Sports Information office caught up with Calvin head volleyball coach Amber Warners Wednesday night and she details Calvin’s service project work during the day while also offering thoughts on Calvin’s upcoming match Thursday night vs Puget Sound. The audio interview can be found at:Amber Warners Audio Interview Photos of Calvin’s service work can be found online at: Calvin Service Project Photo Gallery
Calvin’s Lizzie Kamp Named AVCA Division III National Player of the Year
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Lizzie Kamp Audio Interview at NCAA III Awards Banquet
HOLLAND, Mich. - Calvin College senior Lizzie Kamp has received the highest honor in Division III volleyball. On Wednesday night at the Division III All-America banquet ceremony hosted by Hope College at the Haworth Conference Center, Kamp was named the Division III National Player of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. It not only marks the second straight year that a Calvin player has been named national player of the year in volleyball, but also marks the second straight year that a member of the Kamp family has done so. A year ago, older sister Rebecca Kamp was named the AVCA Division III Player of the Year. At 31-2, Calvin is headed into national tournament play tomorrow night when it faces the University of Puget Sound at 8 p.m. at Hope’s DeVos Fieldhouse in a national quarterfinal match. Calvin will enter the match ranked number-one in the country while Puget Sound is ranked 12th.
Holland Sentinel Story on Lizzie Kamp
Kamp Sisters of Calvin Women’s Volleyball Team Featured on Mlive.com
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
The Calvin women’s volleyball team is preparing for a national quarterfinal match with the University of Pugent Sound Thursday at 8 p.m. at Hope’s DeVos Fieldhouse. Three sisters: Lizzie, Stacey and Maggie Kamp will be part of Calvin’s contingent. Mlive.com caught up with the three sisters recently and filed the following story: Mlive.com story on Calvin’s Kamp Sisters
Homecoming for Calvin Women’s Volleyball Coach Amber Warners Featured in Holland Sentinel
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Calvin College women’s volleyball coach Amber Warners will be making a homecoming this week when she leads her team into the NCAA III Finals at Hope College. A native of Holland and a graduate of Holland Christian High School and Calvin College, Warners is the subject of a feature story on the Holland Sentinel website. To read more, visit the Holland Sentinel website at: Holland Sentinel Feature - Amber Warners
Calvin Takes Early Lead in MIAA Commissioner’s Cup Standings
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
A record-setting fall sports season has allowed Calvin to build an early lead in the MIAA Commissioner’s Cup Standings. Through the recently completed MIAA fall sports season, Calvin leads the standings with 100 points, four points better than Hope. In the MIAA Women’s All-Sports Standings, Calvin has a first place total of 58 points with Hope second with 53. Hope leads the MIAA Men’s All-Sports standings with 43 points, one point better than Calvin. This fall, Calvin captured a record six MIAA titles – winning conference crowns in men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s golf and volleyball.
