Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) Head Women's Basketball Coach Kristie Ward hired Amber Howell as an assistant coach in June 2017.

Howell was a part of the 75-member 2016 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) ‘So You Want To Be A Coach’ class. Each member of the ‘So You Want To Be A Coach’ class participated in a three-day workshop, held in conjunction with the WBCA Convention. The objectives of the “So” program are to increase the understanding and application of skills necessary to secure coaching positions in women’s basketball, increase the understanding and awareness of competencies necessary for success in coaching, introduce female basketball players to coaches and administrators, and raise awareness of the existing talent pool of female basketball players who have a passion and interest in coaching the game of women’s basketball. “So” participants learned about recruiting, the administrative side to coaching, how to get hired, skill development, the importance of knowing the rules and how to balance work and life.

Howell comes to Florida SouthWestern after spending the last two season as a member of the Armstrong State University (NCAA Division II) women’s basketball staff. She served as graduate assistant for the Pirates during the 2015-16 season, before spending the 2016-17 campaign as an assistant coach.

Howell played two seasons for Armstrong State from 2013-15, playing in 55 games over two seasons. As a junior in 2013-14, she averaged 7.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game and as a senior in 2014-15, she averaged 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest. The Athens, Ga., native played for two seasons at Central Georgia Technical College (NJCAA) prior to transferring to Armstrong State.

Howell received her bachelor's degree in liberal arts in 2015 and earned her master’s degree from Armstrong in professional communication and leadership.