Coaches
Arian Colton - Head Coach - email Coach Colton
This is Coach Colton's third season at Vernon Hills. In her coaching career, she has coached Division 1 Collegiate Volleyball at Duquesne University, Varsity Girls at Round Lake High School, and Varsity through Freshman at Libertyville High School (boys and girls). Colton also played Division 1 Collegiate Volleyball at Loyola University of Chicago. She served as Loyola's team Captain for 3 years and lead her team to the first ever NCAA Tournament appearance for any Loyola women's sports team. Colton attended high school at Libertyville High School. As a Libertyville Wildcat, Colton was named to the 1993 Illinois All-State volleyball team and captained the 1993 Libertyville Wildcat team to 36-0 regular season record. She was a 3 year varsity volleyball starter and the team captain at Libertyville High School.
Chris Curry - Assistant Coach - email Coach Curry
Chris is in his twenty-sixth year in District 128, and he returns to the girls’ program after a 16 year absence, having originally coached girls’ volleyball at Libertyville and then Vernon Hills HS when it first opened. He teaches English, serves as the VHHS Assistant Athletic Director, and is the boys’ volleyball head coach. Chris is married to Vernon Hills HS varsity girls’ Cross-Country coach Suzanne Curry (and he thinks she’s mighty nice for putting up with him). They live in Libertyville with daughter Emma, who swam at Libertyville HS and now attends the University of Michigan.
Amanda Ambrose - Assistant Coach - email Coach Ambrose
This is Amanda’s fifth season coaching at Vernon Hills High School, and her 12th year coaching. Prior to coaching here, she coached at V-Hawk Power and Independence High School in Wisconsin; and Sky High Volleyball Club in Illinois. While obtaining her BS in Education at Viterbo University, she played setter for the V-Hawks. Outside of coaching volleyball, Amanda teaches 4th grade at Gavin Central Elementary.
Jennifer Hamlin - Assistant Coach - email Coach Hamlin
This is Jen’s second season coaching at Vernon Hills, and her 6th year coaching overall. She coaches at Hawthorn Middle School, where she is a 7th grade Resource, Language Arts, and Math teacher. Jen has also coached at Libertyville High School and Netforce Volleyball Club in Illinois. Aside from coaching, Jen loves to travel. So far she has traveled to France, Italy, Ireland, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom, but ready for her next adventure. Jen is getting married this December and very excited for this new chapter in her life!
Julia Hughes - Assistant Coach - email Coach Hughes
This is Julia’s first season coaching at Vernon Hills, and her 3rd year coaching overall. Prior to coaching here, she coached at Inifiniti Volleyball Club for a 13 and 15 year old team. She teaches 7th Grade Math at Viking Middle School in Gurnee. She played volleyball since age 10. She is excited to join the Cougar family!