There’s just a few days left until the high school volleyball season gets going in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.
The next few months are sure to deliver plenty of championship moments and lifelong memories for dozens of athletes and coaches across the Tri-state. Every team has its own goals in mind.
As the season get underway, here are five storylines to follow.
How long will Seton’s unbeaten streak last?
The Saints carry a 41-match winning streak into the season, their last loss coming on Sept. 26, 2024. They are the first undefeated state champion from Cincinnati since Ursuline in 2009 (the Lions won 56 straight matches in 2009 and 2010).
Seton graduated five seniors that are now playing in college but have six more on the roster, including five DI commits. Position by position, Seton figures to be just as deep.
The Saints face a tough test right off the bat, traveling to the Columbus Invitational Tournament in the first weekend of the schedule. They open Girls Greater Catholic League Play at Mercy McAuley on Sept. 1 and will face Mason, Anderson and McNicholas to close out the season.
Potential for 5 teams to advance to Ohio state tournament
There’s a very strong chance that Cincinnati will see at least four teams qualify for the state tournament.
There will of course be a Division I, Region 4 champion, but a second Southwest team could make it out of Region 2 like Loveland did in 2025.
Of course, Seton is the two-time defending champion. The Saints were originally placed in DII for this year’s statewide alignment but had no reason not to opt in to DI. St. Ursula and Loveland are also opting up for the second year in a row. Ursuline joins them as well.
Mason, which has appeared in the last two regional finals, can’t be counted out either. Milford has a number of young returners and will compete for an Eastern Cincinnati Conference title. The Eagles are also coming off back-to-back regional appearances.
In DII, Kings and Mount Notre Dame figure to be the top two teams that will contend for the regional title. But keep an eye on Harrison and Anderson. The Wildcats only graduated two seniors and the Raptors graduated three. While Anderson will have a lot of senior leadership this season, Harrison is still a relatively young team.
McNicholas is still a state champion favorite, even after moving up to DIII. The Rockets return 11 seniors, including four Division I recruits. CHCA also moved up and will have a total of 10 sophomores and juniors on the roster this season. Ross graduated an all-state player in Kendall Bosse but returns a Northern Kentucky commit in her younger sister, Mya, as well as starting libero Sophia Ober. Don’t count out Turpin, either. Despite graduating 10 seniors, the Spartans will be ready for the postseason after a tough ECC schedule.
McNick moving up gives Fenwick a path to the state tournament after the Falcons fell to the Rockets in the 2025 regional final. Taylor is once again, and always, a team to watch. A regional tournament appearance would be the Yellowjackets’ first, but they have a senior class ready to make a breakthrough.
Conference races to keep an eye on
Let’s start with the Greater Miami Conference, where Mason is the 10-time defending champion. The Comets graduated a lot of production but bring back Avery Brannon, Ella Groff and Brooklyn and McKenzie Meinberg.
Waiting in the wings is Sycamore, which brings back all but two players and is highlighted by talented young Lucy Bell, Sadie Ellis and Kennedy Mallory. Watch out for Lakota East and Lakota West as Matt Ellis and Alina Hile always have their teams in contention.
Kings is loading up for another run at an ECC title. Starting libero Kennady Horsley and setter Anabelle Seni are seniors and the Knights have a dynamite trio of hitters in junior Anaiah Taylor, sophomore Laura Raines and freshman Sammi Wehrman.
Coming off a 17-8 season and a regional tournament appearance, Anderson has a deep senior class and a breakout sophomore in Gianna Bruemmer. Milford also won a district title in Marie Hippe’s first season as coach, and has plenty of youth in Lydia Berube, Madi Long, Baechle Mathis, Piper McCormick, Grace Miracle and Lauren Williams.
CHCA figures to be the class of the Miami Valley Conference behind Olivia Mack, Murphy McGeady, Lily Thornberry and Jillian Turvey. Can Summit Country Day, led by Meredith Walker and Rylee Jewell, keep pace in Courtney Perdue’s second season?
Ninth Region battle figures to be as close as it ever has been
While Notre Dame swept St. Henry in the regular season in 2025, a five-set regional final provided a preview for how close the two teams could be this season.
The Crusaders have just two seniors this year, who played a total of 10 sets last fall. Their top returning hitter and blocker (Violet Main), setter (Madelyn Keipert) and libero (Kenadi Sieg) are all juniors. The Pandas will once again lean on a four-member senior class but has plenty of talent in the sophomore and junior classes, headlined by Elise Grout, Dara Jackson, Makayla Roose and Kaia Tilden.
The Pandas and Crusaders aren’t facing off in their usual “Playing for a Purpose” match, instead opting for a Sept. 1 match that will be an early measuring stick for both teams as far as postseason play goes.
Bishop Brossart reloaded for 10th Region title chase
The 37th District has won 13 of the 14 10th Region titles since its current alignment was formed in 2012, but the Lady ‘Stangs have only advanced to two championship matches, winning in 2022.
Led by seven seniors, Brossart figures to be the favorite this season. Grace Frommeyer also enters her third season as the libero. After getting swept by Calvary Christian in the district semifinals, revenge will surely be a top priority.
While the state tournament draw will come out in the latter stages of the season, it’s entirely possible, at least at this juncture, that Northern Kentucky could have two teams in the state semifinals for the second time in three years.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Top storylines for Greater Cincinnati girls volleyball teams in 2026
Reporting by Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
