The calendar has already flipped to April which means lacrosse is in full swing across Greater Cincinnati.
In both Ohio and Kentucky, local programs reached the Final Four at every level in 2025. While Sycamore and Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy made state in Ohio’s Division I and II, Notre Dame capped a dominant season as Northern Kentucky’s premier squad. There will be no time for those programs to rest on their laurels as there are plenty of challengers in 2026.
Here are some of the top contenders and storylines heading into the 2026 girls lacrosse season.
Division I field crowded with talent
Some years, a team clearly elevates to become the best in Southwest Ohio by a considerable margin.
The 2025 season was not one of those times.
Sycamore came out on top when all was said and done, winning Region 4 after entering as the fourth-seeded team. While the Aviators lost a talented graduating class in the offseason, young talent seems poised to lead the team in 2026.
An Enquirer first-team all-city selection as a freshman, Reese Brenkert finished second in goals (65) and first in assists (32) for Sycamore last year. Fellow sophomores Claire Johnson and Emma Showalter scored 28 and 26 goals last year, respectively, and will comprise a tough three-pronged offense.
Springboro claimed the top seed in the region last year after an 18-2 regular season, and the Panthers look even scarier in 2026. Springboro returns its top five goal-scorers from last season, headlined by now-junior Grace Dresher.
Dresher finished atop the Greater Western Ohio Conference in scoring with 70 goals, also securing 25 assists and 89 draw controls. Cam Walters returns for her sophomore season after leading the league (41) as a freshman, and Maeley Rohe finished top five in the GWOC in goals, assists, and draw controls as a junior.
Kings ruled the Eastern Cincinnati Conference last season, securing an unblemished 7-0 conference record and finishing as regional runner-up to Sycamore.
The team returns ECC Offensive Player of the Year and All-American Marin Bode for her senior season, who scored 90 goals and secured 105 draw controls in 2025. Kings’ next three leading scores are now seniors as well: Paiten Volz, Addison Schuckman, and Kiley Beck. The Knights also return experience at goalie, as Sydney Goad recorded 132 saves in her sophomore season.
After an 8-10 season last year, Mason has built one of the region’s most potent offenses in 2026. The Comets are already off to a 7-1 start to the year and average nearly 15 goals per game.
The 2025 Greater Miami Conference Athlete of the Year, Kirsten Hurr, scored 77 goals last season and has already scored 40 in her senior campaign. Fellow seniors Elle Riva and Katie Halligan have stepped into larger roles this season, with Riva scoring 20 goals and Halligan tallying a GMC-leading 24 assists.
Milford was right on Kings’ heels last year, finishing just a game behind in the league standings. The Eagles will have to adapt after graduating ECC Defensive Player of the Year Mandy Schneider last year, but Milford’s three leading scorers are all back in 2026.
Now-senior Elena Ditchen led the squad with 73 goals last year, while now-juniors Catherine Cardell and Kennedy Schneider had 55 and 40 goals, respectively.
CHCA, Indian Hill and more battle for Division II dominance
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy was crowned champions of Region 8 in 2025, earning their first trip to the OHSAA state tournament.
Head coach Sam Mlkvy, a former University of Cincinnati lacrosse player, will have to rebuild a roster that lost more than half its players to graduation. With only one senior returning in 2026, young talent will be critical to the Eagles’ success this year. Junior Emery Snyder will be an important point of continuity after scoring 42 goals in 2025, good for second-best on the team.
Indian Hill fell one game shy of a third-straight regional championship last season, something the youthful Braves will be eager to avenge. Carson Bahl finished second in the Cincinnati Hills League with 65 goals as a freshman, and Kallie Adams returns after scoring 53 goals as a sophomore. Sophomore twins Maddy and Lillie Harris were solid contributors as freshmen and should round out a potent offense in 2026 as they continue to gain experience.
Mariemont returns all but five players from a 14-3 season a year ago, including its top five scorers. Senior Charlotte Soller led the way with 35 goals and 33 assists in 2025, and fellow senior Lily Billups is back in goal after a strong junior season. Juniors Lily Kaplan and Piper Farrell were reliable scoring weapons as sophomores and will add more experience to the Mariemont offense.
Ursuline Academy finished the year at 16-5 and tied atop the Greater Girls Catholic League standings, but lost a lot of talent to graduation in the offseason. Senior Grave Bevington should be more than capable of keeping Ursuline afloat, however, as she’s led the team in scoring each of the previous three seasons. Also returning is junior Ciara Molinsky, who was a solid contributor last year. She finished third in draw controls and fourth in scoring in 2025.
Turpin had an up-and-down season in 2025. However, strong returning senior talent has the Spartans ready to make a run in 2026. Taylor Denning, a USA Lacrosse All-American and Stetson commit, is back after scoring 61 goals and adding 17 assists as a junior. Fellow Stetson commit Reilyn Brennan will have a larger role as a senior leader for Turpin after scoring 13 goals in 2025. Another key returner is Elli Dreyer, who was the team’s second-leading scorer last year with 21 goals.
Can Notre Dame return to KHSAA Final Four?
Notre Dame reached the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Final Four in the first year of the tournament, but the Pandas had to deal with a lot of attrition from 2025. Among the departures from last season’s elite team were head coach Jimmy Marshall and the state’s best scorer, Hannah Powers.
New coach Rachel Ott stepped in after previously leading Transylvania University and has Notre Dame once again in contention in Northern Kentucky. Junior Caitlin Ross has led the team and Northern Kentucky with 30 goals this year as of April 8.
Cooper ended last year as Fifth Region runner-up, qualifying for the KHSAA state tournament. While the Jaguars lost two key offensive seniors in the offseason, second-leading scorer Madison Reinert returns for her junior year after scoring 52 goals in 2025. Also returning is senior goalie Maggie Milburn, who has 61 saves already this season.
Ryle has already surpassed its win total from last season behind a strong senior defensive core.
Goalkeeper Meg Bailey and midfielder Madi Beach were part of the first Ryle lacrosse team as eighth-graders, and now look to challenge for a trip to the state tournament. Bailey is one of the top goalies in the state as she has more saves than goals allowed in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: NDA, Sycamore, CHCA and other Cincinnati girls lacrosse storylines
Reporting by Chase Souder, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
