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- News 2025-2026
- Wenatchee Valley College announces new Knights Athletics leadership
Wenatchee Valley College announces new Knights Athletics leadership
September 8, 2025
Media Contacts:
Dr. Diana Garza, Vice President, Student Affairs, 509-682-6805, dgarza@wvc.edu
Marcine Miller, Executive Director, Public Information Office, 509-682-6582, mmiller2@wvc.edu
Wenatchee Valley College has announced new leadership for the Knights Athletics program
as the teams start a new school year and new seasons. Levi Vega will serve as acting
director, and Aaron Vaughn will be the acting assistant director. Together, they will
support WVC students, coaching staff, and partnerships on campus and in the community.
Levi Vega previously served as the program director of the College Assistance Migrant
Program (CAMP), which was recently suspended due to lack of federal funding. Vega
led the program’s recruitment efforts, student success initiatives, and engagement
efforts while reaching 95% retention for the participants of 2024-2025. Additionally,
he stepped in during the 2024-2025 season to help women's soccer as interim head coach.
He, alongside the men’s soccer head coach Lenin Guzman Sanchez, and other coaching
staff, made transformative changes while providing stability and forward momentum
for the team.Vega also helped to recruit Jennifer Ouelett, the new women’s soccer head coach, whose
season began in August.
Aaron Vaughn has been the Knights baseball head coach since 2021 and has led a strong
team. Vaughn has provided crucial support to different events across campus and the
community, including graduation, an FBLA conference, the Mariachi Northwest Festival,
the Native American Classic, and a Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremony. He has also
served as the Student Recreation Center (SRC) manager, where he has worked to provide
a positive, secure, and welcoming environment. “Levi and Aaron have helped Athletics through this transition with great teamwork,
encouragement, and support to our coaching staff and students. We appreciate their
willingness and service to help our sports programs be successful as we enter the
new school year,” Dr. Diana Garza, vice president of WVC Student Affairs.
WVC will launch a national search this fall for an athletic director who brings strong
leadership, empowerment, and guidance to WVC’s coaching staff, and, with a collective
approach, aids in the recruitment, development, and retention of student athletes.
The new director will serve as a bridge between WVC Athletics and the community, and
they will be charged with advancing the college’s mission and vision through active
community engagement, fundraising, ensuring compliance with NWAC standards, and revitalizing
the Knights Athletics program.
WVC has also welcomed new coaches and staff members to the Knights community: volleyball
head coach, Carrie O’Donnell; men’s basketball head coach, Jordan Highland; and women’s
soccer head coach, Jennifer Ouelett. Karina Lahti is the certified athletic coordinator
and trainer. Prior to joining WVC, Lahti worked with the Wenatchee Wild WHL hockey
team for two seasons, assisting them in transitioning from the BCH League to the WHL
league as their head athletic trainer. Originally from British Columbia, Lahti received
a bachelor's degree in Human Kinetics from Trinity Western, Langley, followed by a
master's degree in Science in Athletic Training from Whitworth University Spokane
in 2022. While receiving her master's degree, she had internship opportunities with
Colorado University's D1 football program, semi-professional basketball with the Vancouver
Bandits, and the Spokane Chiefs WHL hockey team.
The Athletics director position has been posted to WVC’s Job Openings web page. Applications will be open through September 25.
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Wenatchee Valley College enriches North Central Washington and delivers relevant,
innovative, and experiential educational opportunities for thriving and healthy communities.
Visit our website, wvc.edu.
Wenatchee Valley College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in employment
and student enrollment. All programs are free from discrimination and harassment against
any person because of race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation,
gender identity or expression, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability,
or the use of a service animal by a person with a disability, age, parental status
or families with children, marital status, religion, genetic information, honorably
discharged veteran or military status or any other prohibited basis per RCW 49.60.030,
040 and other federal and state laws and regulations, or participation in the complaint
process.
The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination
policies and Title IX compliance for both the Wenatchee and Omak campuses:
To report discrimination or harassment: Title IX Coordinator, Human Resources, Wenatchi
Hall 2322M, (509) 682-6445, title9@wvc.edu.
To request disability accommodations: Student Access Manager, Wenatchi Hall 2133,
(509) 682-6854, TTY/TTD: dial 711, sas@wvc.edu.