Our Coaches

At VC Denver, our dedicated coaches bring a wealth of experience and expertise to help athletes reach their full potential. Each coach is committed to fostering a positive and competitive environment, ensuring that every player develops their skills and love for the game.

Sydnee Fisbeck

18 Black Head Coach

13 Black Head Coach

Sydnee brings over a decade of competitive playing experience and four years of high-level coaching, including time with NORCO to VC Denver. Her coaching style is rooted in discipline, development, and creating a competitive yet empowering environment for athletes to grow on and off the court. Sydnee is currently the Head Coach at Centaurus High School, where she is leading the program with a fresh vision focused on skill-building, team culture, and long-term athlete success. Her passion for the game, deep knowledge of the sport, and commitment to her athletes make her a driving force in developing high-performing teams and strong individual players.

Taea Remington

12 Regional Head Coach

15 Gold Assistant Coach

Taea brings a strong passion for the game and is dedicated to helping athletes reach their full potential both on and off the court. She has over 10 years as a competitive player and this will be her first year as an assistant coach. She focused on building strong fundamentals, teamwork, and positive mindsets. Taea is currently a varsity assistant coach at Centaurus High School. She believes in hard work, consistency, and creating a fun and supportive environment where athletes are challenged to grow. She loves to continue to learn the game and grow as a coach so she can watch the players develop both skill and confidence.

Alexis Benda

17 Black Head Coach

With experience playing and coaching high-level volleyball, Coach Benda believes the game is a platform to develop both skills and character. She is the current Graduate Assistant at Colorado Christian University and a former player at MSU Denver. Coach Benda emphasizes fundamentals, building volleyball IQ, and using positive self-talk as tools for success. Her coaching style focuses on accountability, attitude, and effort. Embracing the belief that “it’s bigger than volleyball,” she is passionate about helping athletes understand that their identity goes beyond the game.

Annie O'Brien

17 Black Assistant Coach

Annie was the Assistant Coach for our 15 Gold (Anna) team for the 2024-2025 season. She has an additional two years of coaching experience at the YMCA. She played four years of club volleyball at CU Boulder as a defensive specialist and won the Club Coaches Award and Club Team award during the 2018-2019 season. Annie has five years of prior club experience as an outside/opposite hitter.

Anne Vitale

17 Gold Head Coach

Anne, from La Grange, IL, started playing club volleyball at age 9 with Lions Jrs. (now 1st Alliance) and played as a defensive specialist through high school. She earned her BBA in Marketing and an Entrepreneurial Certificate from the University of Iowa. She coached youth programs at 1st Alliance for four years before moving to Denver, where she worked with 303 Volleyball’s developmental leagues. Anne joins VC Denver as the 17 Gold Head Coach and will also coach for our Youth Programs.

Josh Miller

17 Gold Assistant Coach

Josh was born and raised in Littleton, CO and started playing volleyball at 6 years old. He played competitively starting in 8th grade and continued through high school. Josh played club at 303 Volleyball Academy his 16s-18s seasons. Josh moved on to play D1 collegiate volleyball in Buffalo, New York where he was setter and libero. After his first year, Josh transferred to Colorado Mesa University to continue his athletic  and academic career. Josh is currently finishing his degree in Sport Management.

Adam Quidachay

17 White Head Coach

16 Regional Head Coach

Adam comes to VCD with 5 years of indoor experience and 10 years on the grass/beach. He played at MSU Denver for 2 years where he was an opposite hitter, later gaining coaching experience by assistant coaching for the team. Adam has been coaching for 2 years, most recently as our 16 Gold Head Coach for the 2024-2025 season.

Kaiden Som

17 White Assistant Coach

Kaiden Som brings competitive experience and a strong defensive presence to VCD. He began playing volleyball his senior year at Eagle Crest High School, where he quickly made an impact as the team’s libero. After high school, Kaiden continued to grow in the sport and has spent the last five years playing outdoor volleyball, sharpening his skills and volleyball IQ.

Karyna Werley

18 Black Assistant Coach

Karyna Werley joins VC Denver as the Assistant Coach for the 18 Black team. She played club volleyball for seven years with Texas Performance and competed at La Cueva High School, where she was a four-year varsity athlete, two-time state champion, Metro Area Player of the Year, and a four-time All-State and All-District selection. Karyna is currently a setter for Metropolitan State University of Denver, where she has earned RMAC Setter of the Week honors twice. Along with her playing experience, she has coached youth volleyball camps for both her university and high school programs. Now in her second semester at MSU Denver studying Industrial Design, Karyna is passionate about helping young athletes grow both on and off the court. She believes in fostering a growth mindset, emphasizing that identity doesn’t lie in performance, and building a positive team culture where players can thrive as both competitors and people.

Taylor Boeyink

16 Gold Head Coach

Taylor started playing volleyball her freshman year of high school and immediately fell in love with it. She played for her school’s varsity team and finished out her club season at The Diff, then attended CU Boulder where she played for their self-coached Women’s Volleyball Club. Her junior and senior year, she was VP and President of the club, and they were a top 10 program in the country during her last year in college. Last year, she coached the 15s Black team at VC, and she is so excited to be back for a second year!

Anna Mapes

16 White Assistant Coach

Anna has over 25 years of experience coaching volleyball. Her versatile coaching background ranges across all age groups and competition levels. Anna prides herself in a patient and compassionate approach to teaching and strives to develop healthy and high performing athletes. She completed CAP 1 & 2 certification courses through USA volleyball and has attended many seminars with Changing the Game Project. Anna was the Assistant coach at Fort Lewis College from 2005-spring 2007, where she played a key role in developing the most successful team in program history, leading to NCAA tournament appearances and multiple players earning RMAC and All-American honors. As a player, she competed as middle blacker for both Ole Miss(‘97 & ’98) and MSU Denver (‘08-’10), earning numerous accolades including All-Tournament, All-RMAC, All-RMAC academic, Cosida Academic All-district, RMAC Academic Player of the Year, and Sportswomen of Colorado Comeback Award. Her story was featured in NCAA Magazine Fall 2008.

Yaya Jorda

16 Regional Assistant Coach

14 White Co Assistant Coach

Born and raised in Guam, Yaya served four years in the United States Air Force (2019–2023) and has six years of volleyball experience, playing as a setter, middle blocker, and outside hitter. In 2018, she competed internationally in the Philippines. Now a Certified Personal Trainer and Sports Performance Enhancement Specialist, Yaya is excited to bring both her athletic and professional experience to the court. Yaya's philosophy is rooted in the belief that true athletic development begins with unwavering support and team-centered growth where athletes push each other, hold each other accountable, and play for something bigger than themselves.

Angela Smith

15 Gold Head Coach

Angela has coached with VC Denver since 2023, most recently as a 14 Gold Head Coach for the 2024-2025 season. She is also one of the coaches in our youth program. Her coaching resume includes assistant coaching for 5 years at Thompson Valley HS, coaching 1 year at Flatirons VBC, assistant coaching for 5 years at Legacy HS, and coaching at the YMCA for 2 years. Angela played club volleyball at CSU. She also owned, directed, and coached Mile High Surge Volleyball for 5 years.

Emmy Majeski

16 Black Head Coach

Emmy began coaching during high school, serving as an assistant coach for the Club Cactus Juniors 12s team in Arizona. Since then, she has continued to build her passion for mentoring young athletes and giving back to the game that shaped her. She is currently a collegiate player at Colorado Christian University, competing in her senior season. At CCU, Emmy has played one year as an outside hitter and three years as a defensive specialist/libero. Before college, she was a four-year varsity standout in Arizona, where she set four school records while also competing at a high level for Club Cactus Juniors. Emmy is known by her teammates and coaches for her leadership and encouragement, earning recognition as “Best Coach” and “Most Inspirational Pep-Talk-Giver” on her collegiate team. She brings a deep love for the game, a heart for young girls, and an enthusiasm for fostering growth both on and off the court. She is excited to bring her energy and experience to VC Denver this season.

Danielle Sloan

15 White Head Coach

Danielle was the Head Coach for VCD's 14 Gold team during the 2024-2025 season and the Assistant Coach for VCD 18 Gold during the 2023–2024 season. She is currently an assistant coach at Erie High School. She also served as the JV coach at Legacy High School in 2022. As a player, Danielle spent two years as a hitter at William Penn University, where she earned Heart of America Honorable Mention and NAIA Scholar Athlete honors. Prior to that, she played two years at Rock Valley Community College.

Kristen Franke

15 White Assistant Coach

Kristen was the Assistant Coach for VCD's 14 Gold (Danielle) team during the 2024-2025 season. She was a two-time All-State setter and part of a state championship volleyball team in high school. After high school, she went on to play collegiate soccer and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Maekayla Ward

15 Regional 1 Head Coach

12 Black Assistant Coach

Maekayla was the Assistant Coach for VCD's 11 Regional team in 2025-2025 and she is currently the C team coach at The Academy of Charter Schools. As a player, she spent eight years competing in club and high school volleyball as a setter, was a four-year varsity starter and three-year team captain, and earned Academic All-State honors all four years.

Amanda Ruggiero

14 White Head Coach

15 Regional 1 Assistant Coach

Amanda looks forward to bringing a strong devotion for the game and is dedicated to helping athletes reach their full potential both on and off the court. She has over 8 years as a competitive player in school and club. This will be her first year as a head coach for 14s White and assisting 15s Regional. She focus‘s on team building, having a positive and strong mindset as well as working the fundamental skills of volleyball. Amanda is currently a new Denver resident and is excited to be giving back to the volleyball community! She believes in players who are dedicated to working hard, having fun and creating obstacles in order for her players to overcome them and continue to improve! She is looking forward to learning new things about volleyball as well as watching her players grow!

Ciara Sanchez

15 Regional 2 Head Coach

14 Black Assistant Coach

Ciara is a recent high school graduate working towards a degree in sports psychology at CU Denver. During her time in high school (2021-2025) she was a 4-year varsity athlete. Her positions were middle blocker and outside hitter. During her junior year she received an award of CHSAA All-State 1st team, following her Senior year with CHSAA All-State Honorable mention. This is her first year coaching, and she is so excited to see what the season holds.

Brendon Feddema

14 Black Head Coach

Jake Williams

14 Gold Head Coach

Jake was the Head Coach for our 14 Regional team during the 2024-2025 season. He holds a B.S. in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and has over 10 years of competitive beach and indoor volleyball experience as a right-side hitter.

Tyler Benateigha

14 Gold Assistant Coach

Tyler was the Assistant Coach for our 14 Regional team during the 2024-2025 season. He has nine years of playing experience and is the co-founder, captain, and Outside/MB for the local team Denver Squeeze, established in 2023. He is also a certified referee.

Kaylee Jensen

14 Regional Head Coach

13 Gold Assistant Coach

This is Kaylee's first year coaching with VCD. She couldn’t be more excited to share the game she loves! Kaylee started playing volleyball in 8th grade and joined club volleyball when she was 13. Over the years, she had the opportunity to play multiple positions—mainly DS/Libero, with two seasons as an Outside Hitter, and even a season as a Setter during her sophomore year. Kaylee brings a ton of energy, positivity, and love for the sport to the court. She can’t wait to help players grow, learn, and have fun while competing.

Carli Moreno

13 Regional Head Coach

This is Carli's first year coaching with VCD and is excited for the opportunity to help aspiring the growth of young athletes both on and off the court! Carli played volleyball in middle school and freshman year of high school as a DS. She has coached the "C" and "D" teams at Legacy High School for the past three years where she has focused on developing players' fundamental skills, teamwork, and confidence. Carli is ready to bring this experience to VCD and continue fostering a love for the game in the players!

Sam Millison

13 Regional Co Assistant Coach

Coach Sam Millison is looking forward to joining VC Denver this year, and is very excited for a competitive and rewarding season ahead! She comes to the club with experience from coaching the freshman "D" team at Legacy High School. Sam has grown up playing both high school and club volleyball all her life, where she has continued to pursue her passion for the game from previously wanting to become better as a player herself to now wanting to help other players become better. Sam is eager to bring her great energy, positive coaching style, and commitment to athlete development to the VC Denver family.

Lexi Cassucio

13 Gold Head Coach

Originally from West Virginia, Lexi recently relocated to Colorado, where she is excited to continue sharing her passion for the sport and developing young athletes. Lexi brings over a decade of volleyball experience as both a player and coach. As a lifelong athlete, she has spent 10 years immersed in the game and has served as the head coach for West Virginia's East Fairmont Middle School volleyball team from 2021-2024. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology and dual Master’s degrees in Health Sciences and Safety Management from West Virginia University. Lexi is dedicated to building well-rounded players who value teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship - both on and off the court. 

Mikayla Tallbear

16 Gold Assistant Coach

Mikayla was born in South Dakota and moved to Colorado with her family at age eleven. She attended Legacy High School, where she played volleyball all four years, and competed for three different clubs throughout her club career. After high school, she attended Front Range Community College and the University of Northern Colorado, earning her degree in Business. Mikayla currently works as a Program and Planning Operations Manager for a space systems company. Her coaching experience includes assisting with 5Star Volleyball’s 13 Black and 14 Black teams from 2013 to 2015, serving as an assistant coach at Legacy High School from 2016 to 2018, returning to the Legacy program as the head coach from 2023-present, and most recently assisting the 5Star 17 Black team for the 2024–2025 season. Outside of work and coaching, Mikayla enjoys playing indoor and beach volleyball, camping, karaoke nights, and spending time with friends and family.

Stefanie Gallegos

11 Regional Head Coach

Stefanie (Stef) has played and loved the game of volleyball since she was 12 years old. She was a four year starter in high school and won two state championships here in Colorado. She played mainly defensive specialist and was also a backup setter during her career. Her coaching experience includes head coach of an amazing junior high team for three years and one year as an assistant high school coach. Stef has two daughters who also play for VC Denver and will be finishing out their careers on the 18 Black Team this year. Stef brings enthusiasm, encouragement, and dedication to every practice while focusing on fundamentals. She’s a strong believer that the “brilliance is in the basics”. She loves helping players grow their skills, build confidence, and discover their love for the game. Her coaching style focuses on team first, effort, and always playing with heart while building a foundation of leadership, kindness and great character. Stef’s goal is to create a positive environment where athletes can compete, learn, and have fun.

Trynity Martin

13 Black Assistant Coach

Trynity began coaching during her Junior year high school , serving as an assistant coach for West Volleyball Club in Pueblo West, Colorado. She is excited to have the opportunity to influence young athletes and teach them to love the sport as much as she does. She is currently a collegiate player at MSU Denver, competing in her sophomore season. For the majority of her career, she has competed as a Middle Blocker. In high school, she was a 4-Year Starter for both Hoehne High School and Pueblo West High School. She brings an undying passion for the game, a desire to inspire and lead young players on and off the court, and a commitment to helping athletes learn the game on a deeper level.

Alyssa Boytte

16 Black Assistant Coach

Alyssa played club volleyball for nine years and has coached youth clinics and developmental programs since her junior year in high school. Originally from Allen, Texas, she was a three-year starter for the Allen High School Varsity volleyball team. She currently plays volleyball at MSU Denver and is a sophomore. She has earned three RMAC Defensive Player of the Week awards, Second-Team All-RMAC, and All-American accolades. She currently plays middle blocker and has experience playing outside and right side in high school and club. She is double-majoring in Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies with a 4.0 GPA. She is a student of the game, always seeking more knowledge, and wants to prepare her team well. She has a strong desire to succeed with the belief that value comes from more than performance, wanting to build up her athletes as players and people. She is a bank of encouragement, pushing young athletes to be confident and have a deep love for the game. She is more than excited to influence her players and have a great time every day she gets to spend with them.

Becca Pierce

Mental Strength Coach

Becca will be the Mental Strength Coach for VC Denver this year. She has a Master's in Sport and Exercise Psychology, and she has been passionate about volleyball since she started playing at 12. She is excited to help athletes develop the mindset they need to achieve their goals. This is her first year with VC Denver, and she is looking forward to helping our players break through barriers and reach their full potential during the 2025-2026 season. Volleyball offers so many opportunities for growth, and she can't wait to see the progress these athletes make both on and off the court.

Tyler Weed

Strength Coach

Tyler has been playing sports his entire life, he loves being able to compete and work towards being the best athlete he can be. Tyler played 4 years of club college baseball at Western Washington University and spent the last 2 years as the president/head coach of the club. During his final year, they made a Regional appearance as a top 30 team in the country as well as earning a spot on the 2nd team All-Region team. He has 10 years of coaching experience and 4 years of experience as a trainer working with a wide variety of people and athletes. He has a passion for helping athletes build strength and confidence in their sport to go compete at their highest level.

Michael Hamlin

Strength Coach

A lifelong multisport athlete, Michael grew up competing in virtually every sport available and has consistently trained at a high level in football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, golf, and track & field since he was 12 years old. Recognizing early his passion for helping others reach their athletic potential, Michael pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Integrative Physiology from the University of Colorado Boulder. During his CU Boulder tenure (2012–2017), he worked on the football program’s equipment staff, attending every practice, traveling with the team, and collaborating closely with staff, athletic trainers, strength & conditioning coaches, and athletes. His passion for equipment and training has only blossomed after his senior project in biomechanics, where he analyzed ground reaction forces across various running footwear. In 2023, Michael completed an internship with CU Sports Medicine in physical therapy. He possess a deep understanding of what it takes to become a high-performing athlete. Michael's primary areas of expertise include injury prevention, sports performance training, and evidence-based sports nutrition.