Christen Hamilton

Christen Hamilton returns to Absolute Volleyball Club as the Head Coach of 16 Pink for the 2025–26 season. In her inaugural year with AVC in 2024–25, she led the 15 White team. A veteran coach with 25 years of experience, Christen is entering her 20th year in club volleyball and has also spent 14 years as a varsity high school coach, most recently at Windsor High School.

Throughout her career, Christen has guided teams at nearly every age level, from 12s through 16s, while earning recognition for her leadership and success. She was named the 2022–23 NFHS CIF California Coach of the Year and the 2022–23 NFHS CIF NCS Coach of the Year. Across her high school career, she has accumulated over 320 varsity wins, with recent highlights at Windsor including NCS Semifinal and CIF State appearances in 2021–22 and 2023–24, as well as consistent postseason runs. Her earlier stints at Petaluma and Montgomery High Schools also included numerous NCS quarterfinal and semifinal finishes, underscoring her ability to build strong, competitive programs.

As a player, Christen was a setter who gained experience in every position during her high school, club, and college career. At Montgomery High School, she was a two-time First Team All-League selection, Scholar Athlete of the Year in 1997, and team captain and MVP in both her junior and senior seasons. She continued her playing career at St. Peter’s College (1997–99) and the University of San Francisco (1999–2001), where she majored in Pre-Med and Communications. She attended college on a full academic scholarship and later earned an athletic scholarship at USF through her work ethic and dedication.

Christen’s coaching philosophy emphasizes academics first, athletics second. She believes in treating all players with respect, fostering a supportive and family-like environment, and helping athletes become the best versions of themselves both on and off the court. As a mother of two young athletes who also play for AVC, she values being a calm, caring, but accountable coach. She finds joy in seeing her players develop lifelong habits, learning to compete at a high level, and embracing volleyball as the ultimate team sport. Off the court, Christen enjoys long-distance running, reading, traveling, Netflix, and playing games with her family. She and her husband celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary this year, and she also works full-time in Sonoma and Napa Counties as a real estate agent and business coach for other agents.