BY KATIE FAYE KING
Special to the Herald Times
RBC | Colorado Northwestern Community Colleges’ (CNCC) new athletic director, Zachary “Zach” Stevenson, is pumped about the opportunity he has been offered and the upcoming season of CNCC athletics. Zach is a former student-athlete of CNCC who played baseball from 2011- 2013. He played under Coach Lou McCollum and gained a strong respect for his coaching expertise. The pair formed a connection that offered Stevenson a promise: when he was ready to come up, McCollum would advocate for his opportunity. While in Rangely at CNCC, Stevenson fell in love with Rangely and its offerings.
After graduating from CNCC, Stevenson continued studying toward his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in coaching and athletics administration. While studying, he returned to coach baseball at the high school he graduated from — Cherokee Trail HS. Under the coach who taught him, Alan Dyer, Stevenson gained valuable experience and fed his dream of coaching. He knew he wanted to coach at the collegiate level eventually.
In 2016, the team at Cherokee Trails won the state championship. When he was offered the head coach position at Cherokee Trail HS he faced a difficult choice. If he accepted the position, he would settle in and lose his hunger for his higher dream. So in 2017, he called Coach Lou and accepted the standing offer to coach at CNCC, “I’m ready to come up!”
The opportunity was less than glamorous. It was a volunteer and dedicated work. His wife, Chelsea, was in Salt Lake City, working and supporting their twin boys, Dallas and Treygun. In 2020, they joined Stevenson in Rangely and the boys attended kindergarten in the Rangely School District. Reality began to set in that Stevenson would need a secure, paying position to support his family. The time was an inflection point for Stevenson. After tossing around his resume, he landed a job as an assistant coach at the College of San Mateo in California.
In a casual conversation with McCollum, he learned that the athletic director position at CNCC was open. The opportunity offered experience, a chance to impact the college community, and a return to Rangely. The couple wanted to return to Rangely and be a part of the community they loved. Stevenson thrived in the interview; the college was excited to hire someone who wanted to be in Rangely. Two weeks later, the Stevenson family returned to Rangely.
“I am humbled to have this opportunity,” Stevenson said.
An eventful first week welcomed Stevenson to the position. He is excited to connect with the community to invigorate the college’s athletic reputation. He appreciates where he is and believes that he can inspire the athletics department, coaches and athletes to “buy in” to the opportunities ahead. CNCC offers baseball, softball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball and rodeo.
Although baseball has always been Stevenson’s passion, he appreciates all sports and is excited to be a part of college athletics. His dad was a football player at the University of Alabama and won multiple national championships. Stevenson participated in multiple sports as a student at CNCC.
As he takes his place as athletic director, he looks forward to providing good competition, making Rangely a “home court/field advantage,” uniting the athletes with other degree programs, and maximizing everyone’s college experience. He hopes to increase fundraising and utilize their equipment and resources to the best of their ability. He believes you can accept a challenge head-on or back down from it. Backing down contradicts the purpose of athletics and the legacy of the college’s mascot, the Spartan. As Stevenson says, “We are who we are.” Embracing being a Spartan in Rangely, the identity and belief in themselves, their team, their coach, and their school. This is Sparta! Let the games begin!
