Coaching Staff
Erica Miller
Varsity Community Coach
About Erica:
4 years of VB at Butler HS (Ohio), MVP and Team Captain. Also lettered in basketball
4-2-4 College Transfer student--Wichita State University, Sinclair Community College, and 2 years at Wright State University; Academic All-American at both Sinclair & Wright State
Assistant Coach, Auburn University, 2000-2002
Founding Board Member of A5 Volleyball Club, 2005
Head Coach A5 16-1 (2x) & 17-1; led first Atlanta team to Nationals in the Open division & won Atlanta's first National Championship in any division
Joined Pope Coaching staff in 2021. Three year record: 123-17. Region Champs: '21, 22 & 23, State Champs: '22, State Runner-Up'23
2022: 6A Region 7 Coach of the Year, Cobb County COY, GACA COY and AVCA Region 3 COY
2023: GACA Region Coach of the Year
Married 25 years to Benj (her favorite asst coach) & mother of 4 loves: Linkin-15, Kenyon-13, Anthem-11, Torin-9
Katie Kirian
Varsity Head Staff Coach
About Katie:
Grew up in Ypsilanti, MI and played varsity vb for 3 years. Also lettered in softball and basketball. Awarded the school’s Female Athlete of the Year scholarship her senior year
Played club/AAU vb for Washtenaw Area Volleyball Association (WAVA) for 8 years
Attended Grand Valley State University and has been teaching special education for 19 years - 4 of which have been at Pope
Previously worked at Berkeley HS (SC) for 6 years where she coached JV volleyball. Also coached JV basketball at Hanahan High School
Spent 6 years with Lexington Two Schools (SC) where she was awarded Teacher of the Year in 2015
Lives in Canton and loves to hike, travel and spend time with her dog Maisy
Courtney Kopsie
JV Head Community Coach
About Courtney:
4 years Varsity VB in high school, captain the last 3 years, received several county and state awards and recognitions, including senior Allstars
Played club for A5 and went on to play at West Point, where she studied Kinesiology with a focus in Exercise Science
Since then she has coached club teams of all ages in Texas and around the metro Atlanta area.
She currently works for Wellstar Health system as the Program lead for their Employee Wellness program.
Married to her husband Josh, for 11 years and has 3 children, Kennedy, Cooper, and Caden.
Christine Callaway
JV Assistant Coach
About Christine:
4 years VB in high school, captain her senior year
Club volleyball at Tsunami and A5
College VB at Oglethorpe University
Earned a Bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University & Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Clayton State University
Over the years, she has coached high school & club across the metro Atlanta area.
Christine is a Licensed Professional Counselor and currently owns and operates a private practice. In addition, she works for Wellstar Health System as a Well-Being Coaching Consultant.
Christine is a Marietta local where she resides with her husband Seth, and her three children, Macklin, Everleigh & Shepherd.
Micah Mitchell
Junior Varsity Staff Coach
About Micah:
Grew up in Brooks, GA and attended school in Griffin, GA. Played both baseball and basketball
Graduated from Kennesaw State University
Has taught at Pope for 6 years, currently teaching Special Education
Executive Coach of the Girls Lacrosse Program at Pope
Coached 9th grade basketball for 3 years and football for 2 years
Enjoys time with friends and watching sports
Laura Ann O'Sullivan
Juniors Director, Greyhound Training Ground & Pups Coach
About LA:
Playing Experience-
Mars Hill College Volleyball team member (2009 – 2011)
Led South Atlantic Conference in service aces (2009)
High Point University Volleyball team member (2008 – 2009)
West Henderson (NC) HS varsity team member (2005 – 2007)
Coaching Experience-
2023-24: A5 Head Coach 12-1
2022-23: A5 Head Coach 12-1 -- USAV & AAU Champs!
2018-2021: A5 - Head Coach 15-2
*2021 USAV & AAU National Champs (USA & 15-Premier)
2017-2018: A5 - Head Coach 15-3
2016: A5 - Head Coach 14-4
2015-2016: Reinhardt University, Assistant Volleyball Coach
2013-2016: Columbus State University, Assistant Volleyball Coach
LA lives in East Cobb with her husband, Sean (who is also the Pope Football Head Coach!), her son, Patrick, 3, and daughter Riley who was born Nov '23.
Kacey Simon
Juniors Navy Coach
About Kacey:
Passionate about VB, Kacey has been around the sport since middle school.
Coaching Experience-
2023: Pope Juniors Sky Head Coach
A5 Volleyball Club--
2017-18: 12-4 Assistant Coach
2018-19: 11-3 Assistant Coach
2019-2020: 11-3 Assistant Coach
2020-2021: 13-6 Head Coach
2021: AAU Assistant Coach 15-4
2021-2022: 13-4 Head Coach
2022-2023: 13-4 Head Coach
2023-2024: 13-3 Head Coach
North Cobb High School--
2019 & 2020 Middle School “B” Team Head coach
2021 Middle School “A” Team Head coach
Enjoys taking her dogs on walks and doing yoga
Leigh Hudson
Juniors White Coach
About Leigh:
Coached and taught health/PE in Fulton County for 32 years before retiring in 2010
Spent 20 years as part of the Riverwood HS VB program before retiring in 2018
Led Riverwood to 3 consecutive State Championship appearances as Head Coach, winning the State Championship in 2001
Joined the Pope JV coaching staff in 2018 and helped to guide the JV team to the County Championship in 2021
Led a very successful Pope Juniors Navy team in 2023
Married to Keith Hudson for 40 years. Proud mom of KeLeigh and Kaci - both inductees into Pope’s Wall of Fame.
Jessica Carroll
Juniors Sky Coach
About Jessica:
Coached the Pope Juniors Sky team in 2023
Jeff Linde
Juniors Grey Coach
About Jeff:
Has coached in the Pope Juniors program for the past five years
Enjoys teaching girls who are new to volleyball
His love for volleyball started in college at Penn State and continued as his daughter played the sport from 4th grade through senior year of high school.
Without a doubt, his favorite memory is his daughter’s Pope team winning the 2018 Georgia State Championship.