Coaching Staff

Corey Laster
Head Coach

The 2019-20 season will be Corey Laster's fourth at Colorado Christian. 

Laster has been a collegiate coach for the last 19 years, dating back to 2000 where he started his career at his alma mater, Taylor University (IN). Laster ran a successful program at Taylor from 2000-03 (51-31). After Taylor , Corey moved up to the NCAA DII level where he became an assistant coach for Saint Michaels (VT) from 2003-05. Laster was then able to take over his own program in the NCAA DIII level at Defiance (OH) from 2005-07.

From 2007-10 Corey Laster took the assistant coaching position at Bucknell in Lewisburg, PA, an NCAA DI program. Wanting to become a head coach once again, Laster claimed the University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball program from 2010-14. Laster was a part of the RMAC for four years building a strong program for the Mountain Lions.

Basketball Career

  • Four-year member of Taylor Universities Men's Basketball program
  • One of Taylor's all-time leading scorers and rebounders
  • Taylor University Athletics Hall of Fame member since 2010
  • Taylor Universities Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2008

Carissa Verkaik
Assistant Coach

Carissa Verkaik will serve as the assistant coach for the second straight year during the 2019-20. It will be her fourth year within the athletic department after assisting the track & field squad during her first two years. 

Verkaik was standout basketball player at Calvin (MI) were she is the all-time points leader with 2,236. Verkaik earned basketball All-American honors twice while helping the squad to four NCAA Tournament appearances. While at Calvin she was also a two-time NCAA DIII national qualifier in track & field.

After graduating from Calvin, Verkaik began coaching track and field at the high school level and transitioned to the college level in 2016-2017. 

In addition to coaching at Colorado Christian, Verkaik worked towards her masters at University of Northern Colorado in the Sport Exercise Program, specifically focusing on the social psychology of sport. She earned the degree in May 2019. 

Verkaik is a USATF certified level 1 coach and she has her Michigan Provionsal Teaching Certificate.