Amber Donnes was named Assistant Coach on April 20, 2020. Amber has been with the ULM women’s basketball program as the Director of Operations for the Warhawks since 2019.
Donnes comes to the Warhawks after spending two seasons with the Ragin Cajuns Women’s Basketball program and the previous four as a student-athlete on the McNeese Cowgirl Basketball team, three of which were under current ULM head coach, Brooks Donald Williams.
“What a thrill to have Amber join us,” says head coach Brooks Donald Williams. “She has impacted the program since the day she stepped on campus. Her energy and enthusiasm is contagious. She has wanted to be a part of the collegiate game since I recruited her in high school. I love witnessing her passion every day in our program and on our campus. She is a people person. She loves to serve the people around her. We are fortunate to have someone of her character and eagerness. She is an incredibly bright young star.”
Donnes will spearhead the operations side of the program with responsibilities including creative wardrobe design and equipment liaison, all team and recruiting travel, and supervision and organization of the Warhawk student manager and practice squad. Donnes will manage numerous game day activities and coordinate any necessary preparations for meals, practice and shoot around times and any additional operational tasks.
“I am truly so excited for this opportunity and I could not think of a better state to start my career off than where I was born and raised,” Donnes said. “The people within our community, university and program have already made me feel so much at home. I truly believe that something incredible can and will happen on this bayou.”
Donnes served as a graduate assistant with the women’s basketball program at Louisiana-Lafayette during the 2018-2019 and 2017-2018 seasons under Coach Garry Brodhead, former assistant under Williams at McNeese State. Donnes received her Masters of Science in the College of Kinesiology with a concentration in Health Promotion, Recreation, and Sport Management in May of 2019.
While at Louisiana-Lafayette, Donnes oversaw the interactive mailing layouts for all prospective student athletes, filming of practices and games, team film sessions, and securing all equipment, jerseys, and necessities needed for travel. On game days, her main duty was prepping the locker room for final pre-game scouting and team reminders.
The Hammond, Louisiana, native was a 2013 graduate from Saint Thomas Aquinas High School. Donnes was a two-time Louisiana girls basketball state champion, winning the title for Falcons in 2010 and 2013, being named 2A Louisiana State Tournament most valuable player in 2013.
Donnes entered the McNeese Cowgirl Basketball 1,000 Point Club a few games shy of her last collegiate game. While at McNeese, Donnes did more than just make an impact on the court. She was heavily involved as the Student Athlete Advisory Committee all four years and was selected as co-president during the 2015-16 academic year. She was also a nominee for the Southland Conference Steve McCarty Citizenship Award and a two-time recipient of the Cowgirl Community Service Award.
Donnes is the daughter of John and Genna Donnes of Hammond, and has two younger siblings, Nancy and John Ross Donnes. Nancy is attending Marymount Manhattan College School of Dance in Manhattan, New York, while John Ross is attending Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, and is competing in track and cross country.
