He's qualified because: Followed a stirring 2010-11 season -- 27-7 and the school's first Central Section title in 15 years -- with an even better one. The Knights repeated their Division I championship with a 32-4 record, punctuated with a program-unprecedented three Southern California Regional victories and a final No. 9 state ranking by Cal-Hi Sports. The website also named him State Division I Coach of the Year. The win total is a school record and fifth in section history, according to section historian Bob Barnett. Amundsen is 92-35 (.724 winning percentage) in four seasons at Bullard and 157-85 (.649) in an eight-year career that began at Central.

Walberg and the boys: Amundsen and his two brothers, Tim and Ty, all played for Vance Walberg at Newark Memorial in the east Bay Area in the late '80s. Walberg would go on to produce one of the most dominant careers in section history at Clovis West. Tony Amundsen assisted Walberg for two years both at Clovis West and Fresno City College. Ty has won three state championships at Estrella Foothills High in Goodyear, Ariz; Tim won three section D-I titles between 2007-10 at Clovis East.

Mom and dad deaf: The Amundsens were raised by deaf parents, the late Robert Amundsen and Marilyn, who now lives in Fresno. The father once scored 63 points in a basketball game while playing in a league for the deaf before being inducted into the Deaf Hall of Fame.

"To me, it felt like a normal upbringing," Tony says. "My dad was very involved and encouraged us to play sports. I don't know that being raised by deaf parents would have an effect on the coaching careers of us brothers, other than we had to help and made a lot of phone calls to make doctor appointments, speak to professionals and whatever."