COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – On Wednesday morning, University of Colorado Colorado Springs Head Softball Coach Dwight Sanders announced the hiring of Renae Koppenhafer as the program's full-time assistant coach.
 
"I'm excited to welcome Renae and her family to our program," exclaimed Sanders. "We are committed to building a culture of excellence, and I believe she will be a valuable contributor to that vision. Her experience in developing pitchers, leading as a head coach, and recruiting top talent made her an ideal fit. I look forward to seeing the impact she'll have on our program moving forward."
 
Koppenhafer joins the UCCS softball coaching staff after spending the past three seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. A four-year collegiate softball athlete, Koppenhafer played her first two seasons at North Idaho College, where she earned her Associate of Arts Degree, before finishing her final two seasons at Augustana University and receiving her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Following the completion of her playing career, Koppenhafer continued her education at Grand Canyon University, where she received her Master of Business in Leadership.
 
"I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join the UCCS Softball coaching staff," stated Koppenhafer. "With Coach Sanders' winning mindset and my experience working with pitchers and catchers, I truly believe we'll be an outstanding team alongside our support staff. I can't wait to get started and see what we can accomplish this year! Go Mountain Lions!"

In her three seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Utah Valley, Koppenhafer played an integral role in the success of the Wolverines' softball program. Charged with developing and implementing comprehensive training programs for all facets of the game and managing game preparations, Koppenhafer helped student-athletes from the UVU softball team collect four All-WAC selections and two All-Region honors throughout her tenure with the program. Off the diamond, Koppenhafer took the lead on all aspects of recruiting, including identifying suitable student-athletes, coordinating visits, and managing communications with potential prospects. In addition, she assisted the Wolverines' head coach with daily tasks, including budgeting, practice planning, and team travel while also serving as the lead administrator and coordinator for all UVU Softball camps.
 
Prior to beginning her role at Utah Valley, Koppenhafer served one and a half years as the head coach of the softball program at Yakima Valley Community College in Yakima, Wash. During her time at the helm of the Yaks' softball team, Koppenhafer managed all aspects of the program, including the creation and execution of strategic game and practice plans, the oversight of team operations and logistics, and the management of the strength and conditioning program. In her lone season with the Yaks, she coached a pair of student-athletes to All-NWAC honors and saw two student-athletes earn NWAC Spring Academic Awards. Koppenhafer got her start in the coaching realm during the 2020-21 season as a volunteer assistant coach at Southern Utah University, where she helped to develop training programs and provided individual support for catchers and outfielders in addition to assisting the coaching staff with analyzing game strategies.
 
Koppenhafer is set to begin her post with the UCCS Softball program on August 1.
 
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