The Colorado Springs School Kodiaks

Coaches Bios: Varsity

CSS VARSITY COACHES

McQella Adams, Head Boys’ Volleyball and Assistant Girls’ Volleyball

Coach Adams is a Colorado native who grew up in the Springs where she began her volleyball career at Doherty High School and with the club team, Colorado Springs Altitude.  She graduated from Colorado College in 2016 and played four years as a Tiger, earning a degree in Organismal Biology and Ecology. Coach Adams began her coaching career working volleyball camps at CC with both skills camps and prospective-student camps.  She continued as an assistant coach for the CSS Boys’ Volleyball program in 2016 and the head coach of the boys’ team in 2017.  Since 2016 Adams has assisted the CSS Varsity Girls’ Volleyball team. Her coaching strategies revolve around building players’ individual confidence both on and off the court, as well as developing an understanding of the importance of being an exceptional teammate.

Jason Anderson, Assistant and JV Coach Boys’ Basketball 

Jason Anderson joins the Kodiak coaching staff alongside his basketball buddy, Delovell Earls, who has taken the helm for the revised 2021 season. Coach Anderson played high school ball at Doherty in Colorado Springs before heading to the Air Force Academy Prep School in 2014. After another year playing at the Academy, Anderson transferred to CSU-Pueblo where he finished out his career and recently graduated in 2020 with both a B.S. and M.B.A. in Business Administration. For his hard work in the classroom, Anderson earned the RMAC Academic Athlete of the Year award for two years. He was also a team captain and named to the RMAC All-Conference Second Team as a post player for the Thunderwolves. Currently, Jason works for Integrity Bank and Trust as a mortgage loan officer in Colorado Springs where he and his wife Luba currently live while expecting their first child, Aspyn.

David Benson, Head Boys’ Cross Country 

Coach Benson began coaching cross-country at CSS in 2014 where he also teaches political science at the high school.  He also coaches the CSS 3-time state champion Knowledge Bowl team as well as the competitive Model United Nations team.  Coach Benson has a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in History and French, and an M.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  In high school and college, he was an avid epee fence, competing in three Junior Olympics.  He began competing in cross-country races while living in Central Africa, running races in Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Madagascar.  He loves the 5K and long distance running, which is where he offers his expertise with the CSS runners.   Coach Benson is an outdoor enthusiast who leads wilderness canoe expeditions and loves to hike and camp with his wife, Jess, and four boys.

Delovell Earls, Head Boys’ Basketball and Head Boys’ Soccer

Coach Earls returns to CSS as one of the most celebrated athletes to wear a Kodiak uniform.  After leading his basketball team to CSS’s first state championship (2009), he was named “Mr. Basketball” (2A) in the state of Colorado. He continued his basketball career at the U.S. Air Force Academy where he was a four-year letterman and 2x captain before coaching at the USAFA Prep School, helping them to a 24-4 record. His next assignment took him to Los Angeles where he helped worked as a program manager while continuing to coach youth and high school sports.  This year (2021) marks his first year at the helm for the boys’ basketball team and his second for coaching soccer, his first love as a young athlete.   As a Kodiak he played center midfielder and earned All-Conference and All-State honors before hanging up his cleats for high tops.  Both he and his dad, Christopher Earls, former coach of the CSS boys’ basketball team, will tell you that soccer played an imperative role in his success on the basketball court, helping with his footwork, vision, and endurance. Recently Earls retired from the service and now his journey has come nearly full circle as he gets back to coaching his favorite sport at a place where his athletic abilities blossomed. Off court you will find De focusing his time towards getting his business off the ground with two other CSS alumni, Andrew Smith and Charles Lewis.

Tim Ferguson, Co-Head Mountain Biking

Coach Ferguson joined the coaching staff this year (2017) and is excited to share his passion for cycling with the team.  He enjoys both mountain biking and road biking, and living in Cheyenne Canyon provides quick access to excellent single track mountain biking trails, as well as steep roads to climb with his road bike. Recently, he and his wife Sarah embarked on a long-distance bike trip that started in Salida, CO, and concluded in Taos, NM. This past summer, they participated in the Subaru Elephant Rock Cycle Series and completed the 40-mile loop around the area of Castle Rock. As a 5th-grade classroom teacher, Mr. Ferguson  established after-school bike clubs that motivated students to ride their bikes around the streets of their neighborhood.  He graduated from UCCS and Colorado College MAT.

Natalie Hanson, Head Girls’ Cross Country 
Coach Hanson became the Girls Cross Country head coach after rediscovering the immense joy of team running while cheering on the Kodiaks during her first five years of teaching Upper School Science at CSS. Hanson first ran cross country as a senior at Elk River Area High School in MN, where her rapid development as a runner contributed to her team’s hard fought win at the Conference Championship. After her high school success, she chose to run both Cross Country and Track & Field at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, where she captained both teams and qualified for Nationals in Cross Country, and earned All-American honors in the 800m and 1500m in Track.  Hanson also earned the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for her combined athletic and academic achievements. After earning her MS in Biology at American University in Washington DC, Hanson spent several years competing in and coaching pole vault at the high school, university, and club levels. She also captained, coached, and competed in ultimate frisbee, winning a silver medal with her Masters team at Nationals in 2019. While running was on the back burner for several years, it was not forgotten, and Hanson was thrilled to be invited to coach the Kodiak Girls Cross Country team in 2021. She is motivated to not only nurture and elevate the competitive spirit of the runners, but also to share the physical and psychological benefits of running with young people–teaching them how to make running an integral and sustainable part of their lives.
Marc Knutila, Head Boys’ Tennis

Coach Knutila joined the Kodiak coaching staff for boys’ tennis in 2015.  He has been the Director of Tennis for the City of Colorado Springs for 3 years, which includes running all the junior and adult programs, directing USTA tournaments and running USTA Adult Leagues.  He is also a USPTA Certified Tennis Teaching Professional.  Coach Knutila was a Cum Laude graduate from UCCS, where he was a letterman on the men’s tennis team.  While competing collegiately, he earned All-RMAC honors in singles, doubles, as well as academically. He was also a coach at the world famous IMG’s Nick Bollettieri’s Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. From Albuquerque, New Mexico, Marc is the youngest of three children. Coach Knutila is currently rated a 5.5 player, making him one of the highest rated players in the city. Before becoming a full-time tennis pro, he spent time as an associate at the financial firm T. Rowe Price and was also a newspaper reporter in Minnesota.  His calm demeanor on the tennis court, along with his investment in the development of young people, make him a good fit for the Kodiaks.

Kyong Lee, Head Girls’ Volleyball 

Coach Lee has been playing volleyball for more than 25 years and coaching on and off for twelve years. Since moving to Colorado Springs in 2001, she coached Club Stellar teams to qualify for three straight National Championship tournaments (2006, 2007, 2008).  She has also coached at the collegiate level at Colorado College (2006) as the head junior varsity coach. In her first year as the CSS head coach, Lee led the varsity girls to their first League and District Championship and second place at the State Championships (2008).  The Kodiaks went on to earn a berth for the state tournament for 4 consecutive seasons, and have earned numerous League, District, and Regional Championships.  In 2009, Coach Lee earned the (1A-3A) Coach of the Year title from the Gazette Telegraph.  Her attributes include a passion for the game, a wealth of experience, and the need for mental and physical discipline.  Her coaching philosophy is based upon providing the necessary skills and knowledge to the players, allowing them to learn to be good decision makers and team players on the court. Coach Lee went to high school in Southern California where she graduated as valedictorian in 1987. She attended the University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 1991 with Bachelor of Science in Economics with dual concentrations in Finance and Multinational Management.

Vanessa Leeper Jones, Assistant Girls’ Basketball

Coach Jones ’08, a CSS alum who played basketball, volleyball, and soccer for the Kodiaks from 5th through 12th grade, began making her mark on campus as an inquisitive preschooler. In basketball, this All-State guard was named the Colorado 2A Player of the Year, and also the Gazette’s 1A-3A Player of the Year her senior season. She went on to be a starter all four years at University of Nebraska-Kearney, where she earned First-Team Academic All-American, RMAC Academic Player of the Year, Kearney’s Student-Athlete of the Year, and other honors. Jones was also the goalkeeper on the women’s soccer team at UNK. She graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration and a B.S. in Sports Administration and went on to receive a Masters in Marketing from the University of Denver. In 2015, Jones played for the National Chilean Basketball team and was the leading scorer in an Olympic qualifier tournament in Canada. She and her husband Josh have two sons, Elijah and Everett, and they both enjoy investing time empowering teens. Jones enjoys giving back to the CSS community through coaching and mentoring students, and her presence on campus is always welcome.

Colleen Patton Campbell, Head Girls’ Tennis

Coach Campbell began her tennis career at the age of 3, and she has been coaching for over 30 years.  As a top-ranked high school player in California, her Santa Barbara H.S. team won the State Championship (4A) four years in a row, and Patton was the state doubles champion as the #1 doubles player in the state.  Later, she played on the satellite pro tennis tour, and club teams in Germany, Israel, France, Greece, and Japan.  Campbell has coached numerous high school programs in California, Wyoming, Hawaii, and Colorado and has worked at country clubs, tennis clubs and resorts across the United States.  Most recently, she and her family moved from Maui, Hawaii, where she and her husband ran a tennis center for the Hawaii Preparatory Academy. The Kapalua Tennis Resort is ranked as one of the top 8 tennis resorts in the world. Coach Campbell joined the CSS Kodiak coaching staff in 2017 and immediately began to build a respectable program with her emphasis on stroke technique, strategies, and mental toughness. She is well known in the area for providing impactful private lessons.
David Richardi, Assistant Girls’ Basketball
Coach Richardi has been following sports at CSS for years with both daughters, Natalie ’18 and Whitney ’21, involved as 3-sport athletes for the Kodiaks.  He joined the high school girls’ basketball coaching staff as a volunteer in 2015, and he immediately made an impact.  His commitment to excellence is evident in all aspects of his life, and he is an inspiration to those around him. Coach Richardi is skilled with player development, and he brings his expertise to the team with his efficient statistical compilations, motivational tactics, and tech savviness.  He enjoys watching all sports and is a die-hard Oakland Raiders team, but his heart bleeds blue for Kodiak athletics.
Tyler Sanchez, Assistant JV Boys’ Lacrosse
Coach Sanchez, a recent graduate from The College of Idaho, exhibits an extensive resume for lacrosse. As a three-year All-Conference player for the Coyotes, Sanchez was a captain for a team that earned two conference championships and a trip to the 2019 Final Four National Semi-finals.  During his playing career Sanchez devoted time to mentoring other athletes through lacrosse camps and a coaching internship.  After earning his B.S. in Health Science, he recently moved to Colorado Springs where he works at Strive Physical Therapy as a PT technician.
Ellen Senf, Assistant Boys’ Volleyball 
Coach Senf made the jump to coaching after a stellar playing career.  She played five years of elite club volleyball at Mizuno Northern Lights Volleyball Club, followed by four years at the collegiate level at Niagara University and Wright State University. She has coached at the club level for Team Colorado the past two years, and joined CSS in 2019 as an assistant coach of the boy’s volleyball team. Ellen is passionate about helping her players develop their fundamental volleyball techniques and ensuring her team members gain the same skills that volleyball taught her – teamwork, leadership, persistence and hard work.

Nataya Stepleton, Head Girls’ Soccer and Assistant Boys’ Soccer

Coach Stepleton returns to CSS where she graduated in 2015 as a multi-sport athlete.  Stepleton left her mark on Kodiak Athletics as an All-Conference soccer and basketball player.  She earned All-State honors for soccer her senior year as a center midfielder while setting a new school record for goals scored in a season with 20. A recent graduate of The College of Idaho, Stepleton welcomes the opportunity to rejoin the CSS community and share her passion for soccer with both the girls and boys this year.  She returned to Colorado Springs and is applying her degree in Business and Social Entrepreneurship while working at Peak Education Fellow.

Roger Tucker, Head Junior Varsity Boys’ Lacrosse 

Before his retirement in 2018, Coach Tucker was a middle school science teacher at CSS since 1998, when he also began coaching the MS boys’ lacrosse team.  He was instrumental in establishing the initial lacrosse program, and his coaching at the middle school and varsity levels led to numerous winning seasons, often competing against schools and clubs in the Denver and Colorado Springs area. His coaching style incorporates hard work and attention to the fundamentals, and his love for working with young people is apparent.  Coach Tucker also led the acclaimed 8th grade Walkabout seminar at CSS, where the students explore the Utah deserts and rivers while working on group dynamics and self-assurance.  His experience with raptors and wildlife enlightened many classroom discussions over the years, and he is now enjoying sharing his passion for birds with the general public as a hired falconer.

Vicki Vaughan, Head Girls’ Basketball and Assistant Boys’ Basketball

Coach Vaughan has been coaching basketball for over 30 years. Prior to joining the Kodiaks (2001), she was an assistant coach with the Air Force Academy women’s basketball program where she helped to recruit and to coordinate the Falcons’ summer basketball camps. Before moving to Colorado, Coach Vaughan served seven years as a head coach at Lincoln College in Illinois where her teams gained national NJCAA recognition, and she coached several All-Americans. In 2018 Lincoln College inducted her into the Hall of Fame for her successful stint as a coach. She was the first American to coach professional basketball in Ireland, where her Blarney team won four titles, and she was named IBBA Coach of the Year. Coach Vaughan competed in basketball at Illinois State University where she captained a team that reached post-season play all four seasons and won two MVC titles.  At ISU, Vaughan completed her B.S. in English Education and M.S. in Physical Education. In 2013, she was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, and Lawrenceburg High School most recently inducted her into their HOF (2019).   She was awarded the Mary Flynn Flemke Leadership in Education Award in 2017 for her accomplishments in the education of students and the advancement of CSS.

Kelly Walker, Co-Head Mountain Bike 

Coach Walker began coaching cross-country at CSS in the fall of 2009 and was influential in building a competitive MS program.  This year she is transitioning into a new position and coaching the mountain bike team, a sport that she has enjoyed most of her lifetime.  Coach Walker is a familiar face around campus as she enjoys capturing CSS students in action from behind the camera lens, especially on the playing fields. She graduated from UCCS with a B.A. in Communications, where she also competed in cross-country and was named RMAC All-Conference her senior season.  Coach Walker has run the Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent several times, placing in the top of her age category. She has also competed in various cycling competitions around the state, including mountain biking and cyclocross. During the summer of 2019, Walker earned certification from the USATF as a Cross Country Specialist. A former national champion snowboarder in slalom and half-pipe events, she is also an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking, cycling, snowboarding, and running.