TEAM
COLORADO
BASKETBALL
COACHES.
CARL MATTEI
Carl is our club director and co-coach of the 16U team. He is currently the Head-Coach at Denver East High School. Coach Mattei has coached at the NCAA II, CIAU, and high school levels. He has amassed over 500 wins, is a 3x state champion at the 5A level in CO, and is known for having the best team in Colorado history which finished 3rd in the USA. Throughout his career as a high school/club coach, he has had over 200 Division I athletes with most attending power conferences. Aside from his accomplishments as a coach, he is also one of only ten prep coaches in the USA elected to the WBCA (Women's Basketball Coaches Association) and McDonald's All-American selection committees.
DIANI AKIGBOGUN
Diani will be coaching our 17U team. She is the current JV and Varsity Assistant Coach at Denver East High School. In 2019 she was awarded WBCA National High School Assistant Coach of the Year. As a player Diani was Colorado's Gatorade Player of the Year, 2x Ms. Colorado Basketball, and a WBCA All-American. She went on to play basketball at the University of Texas at Austin. She brings knowledge and tons of on-the-court experience to our program.
CELENA MILLER
Celena will be co-coaching our 16U team. Celena Miller, born and raised in Colorado, has worn many hats with a passion for both athletics and the arts. Her basketball journey began as a four-year starter at Hinkley High School, leading the team to a top-3 state ranking 2002-2004. During that time, she lead the state in many categories, most notably assists, steals, FT%, & 3pt FG%. From 2001-2004 she played on Carl Mattei's club the Mile High Magic where she also excelled as point guard. She continued her success at Western Nebraska Community College (where as a team they finished 5th and 7th nationally) and then the University of Denver. She started for both teams and left her mark on the court as the 3pt FG% record holder at DU. After college, Coach Miller began teaching and coaching at Kent Denver School where she thrived for eight years.
However, her talents extend beyond the basketball court. In 2019, she transitioned to pursuing her music career full-time, establishing herself as a successful Neo-Soul/R&B recording artist and performer. Her entrepreneurial spirit shines through her sustainable apparel company, LLPLLC, demonstrating her commitment to both creativity and responsible practices. Now, Coach Miller brings her diverse experiences and infectious enthusiasm to Team Colorado, ready to inspire the next generation of basketball stars.
VENITA McCARTER
Venita will be coaching our 12U team . Coach Venita is a current Varsity Assistant Coach at Denver East High School. Prior to coaching, Venita was one of the top CHSAA and collegiate officials. She has refereed in multiple final fours and many marquee games in the RMAC. She has been a great addition to our program and brings a unique perspective.
JOHN NILLEN
John will be assisting with our 12U team and will also be running our weekly footwork and ball-handling sessions. Coach Nillen has over 24 years of professional basketball experience including: having been an Assistant Coach and Head Scout for the the Denver Nuggets, Head Coaching experience in the CBA as well as having served as the General Manager for two CBA franchises. In addition, Nillen served as National Head Coach for the country of Taiwan for six years, qualifying and coaching four separate teams in World Championships. He was also General Manager and Director of Operations for the Colorado Explosion, formerly of the ABL. Coach Nillen has such vast knowledge of the game and is great at teaching the footwork and ball-handling needed at all levels.
VANESSA ESPINOZA
Vanessa will be assisting with all-levels and is a current Varsity Assistant Coach at Denver East High School. Vanessa has great experience coaching at the high school level. As a player she participated on many state-championship contending teams and was a high school All-American. She went on to play at Colorado State University. Aside from her on-the-court knowledge she also brings expertise in the fitness and health industry. She works with student-athletes on post-practice/game recovery and nutrition.
Interested in Coaching?
We're always looking for new coaches to grow our program! If you are interested please fill out the form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.