Westlake Alum Denali Tippetts Finds a Home at Colorado Northwestern

This article recaps a segment from The Rush's Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026 episode. Watch the full show.

The Rush launched a new segment Tuesday that checks in on Utah high school alumni playing in college, and Westlake's Denali Tippetts was the first guest. Tippetts now plays for the Colorado Northwestern Spartans.

His varsity career took off halfway through his junior year, when he was subbed in against American Fork with Westlake trailing by three or four goals. American Fork didn't score again. "That first game is amazing," he said. "I was just loving the game, feeling the game that day."

Tippetts started from then on, mostly at center back. "I was overlooked a little bit at first," he said. He didn't play club soccer his senior year and "had to crawl my way back up a little bit" to earn his minutes. He said coach Don Bastian "wanted us all to succeed not only as soccer players but as human beings."

He praised two players still in the Westlake program. Logan Willis is "a very charismatic guy," Tippetts said. "He loves to be on the ball. And while he doesn't have the most size on him, he knows how to get past defenders." Center back Carson Brandt is "a leader on and off the field because he's just such a kind guy."

Recruiting meant juggling soccer, work and school. "I just had to send out lots of emails to coaches," he said. He wanted to stay close to Utah, which led him to CNCC.

"I think Coach Brown's really turning this program around," Tippetts said of head coach Dave Brown. "One of the biggest things he's trying to build is mentality." For every goal the Spartans give up, the team runs down and back up a hill next to campus. "It's mentally taxing and physically taxing, but we know we can get through it as a team."

He loves life on campus, too. "The teachers here, they're wonderful," he said. "They're always wanting you to succeed, especially as a student athlete."