Shelby Dermer|Cincinnati Enquirer
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The green light has been given by the state for both contact and non-contact fall sports to move forward in 2020. With the high school volleyball season setto begin Friday, here are the top teams and storylines to watch for this season in Greater Cincinnati.
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Girls Greater Catholic League
All eyes will (rightfully) be on the Girls Greater Catholic League, which is considered to be one of, if not the toughest, conference in Ohio. You can usually pencil in one of these five squads for a regional championship and trip to the state Final Four at Wright State. Last year, Mount Notre Dame went 25-3, defeating conference foes Mercy McAuley and Ursuline in the regional tournament. The Cougars lost in the state semifinal, but return standout outside hitter Carly Hendrickson, who led the GGCL in kills last season and was a first-team All-Ohio selection. Fellow All-Ohio pick Megan Wielonski is returning, too, after leading the GGCL in assists. Ursuline, which won a state title in 2018, is happy to welcome back Hailey Green, wholed the GGCL in kill percentage (.540) and kill efficiency (.441) last season and was fourth in total kills (293). St. Ursula, which also won 20 games last season, has Emma Grome returning. She was a second-team All-Ohio selection last year. Seton and Mercy McAuley will each try to improve on 1-7 records against the GGCL last season. Julia Marr is Seton's top returner after registering the second-most kills in the GGCL in 2019. Ohio University commit Caroline Clippard is back for Mercy McAuley after helping her club capture a district title.
Greater Catholic LeagueCoed
You have the big three teams in the GCL Coed in Fenwick, Roger Bacon and Badin. That trio combined for a 68-13 record while the other five went 36-83. Fenwick is the area's only defending state champion after winning a Division II crown in 2019. The Falcons lost plenty to graduation but will return junior Kate Hafer, who had 153 kills last season. Roger Bacon has gone 49-5 over the last two seasons, but four of those defeats were at the hands of Fenwick, including back-to-back regional championships. Can the Spartans get over the hump? They will return honorable mention All-Ohio selection Cammy Niesen and senior Grace Wilking. Badin, 17-8 last season, returns Sarah Newberry, who had nearly 200 kills as a freshman in 2019. Senior Emma Trusock also returns for the Rams. McNicholas thrived in the GCL co-ed's central division from 2013-18. The Rockets will try to rebound from last season's 11-13 campaign.
Greater Miami Conference
Mason enters the 2020 season on a 46-game winning streak against GMC opponents dating back to Sept. 15, 2015. The Comets have won four consecutive conference crowns, but have seen their season end at the hands of a GGCL program six years in a row. Mason has another talented cast coming back, including seniors Marilyn Popplewell and Chloe Pearce and juniors Kalli Wall and Brooklyn Darby. Lakota East has been conference runner-up back-to-back years, winning every GMC contest sans Mason. The Thunderhawks lose kills leader Sarah Norcom and libero Caroline Garda, but will return solid outside hitter Emily Mason and last season's GMC block leader Nina Blount. Oak Hills and Lakota West each finished below .500 last season but went 6-3 in GMC play. Fairfield went 12-12 and will return outside hitter Emma Miller.
Eastern Cincinnati Conference
The story? Six teams went over .500 last season in the ECC. Loveland has won the conference three straight seasons. The Tigers lost two-sport star Jillian Hayes but will return senior Diana Clark and Audrey Planner. Turpin has been consistent with six consecutive winning seasons. The Spartans welcome back first-team all-district selection Julie Wittekind, whowas top-10 in the ECC in kills (217) and digs (284) and was fourth in aces with 54 in last season. Jules Fink, a Utah Valley commit who was third-team All-Ohio last season, is the reigning conference player of the year and is looking to lead Kings toward the top of the standings after finishing 6th in 2019.
Miami Valley Conference
The duo of Katelyn Grimes and Rylie Wichmann helped lead CHCA to its first-ever regional championship last season. Both return this year, hoping to get the Eagles to a state final. Grimes was the Division III, District 16player of the year and Wichmann was first-team all-district. Seven Hills and Summit will look to threaten CHCA in the MVC scarlet. In the gray division, Cincinnati Christian went undefeated in divisional play last season. The Cougars will look to hold off St. Bernard and Clark Montessori again.
Cincinnati Hills League
Wyoming enters the 2020 season with an absurd 143-game winning streak (three in postseason)against CHL opponents that dates back to 2009. Wyoming is coming off a district title and returnssophom*ore Allie Cordes, who was fourth in the CHL in kills last season. Indian Hill has won 18-plus games in each of the last three seasons and reached the district championship game in 2019. Kyla Hackman is a key returner for Reading, which went17-7 last year.
Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference
Williamsburg was the only SBAAC program last season to advance past the first two rounds of the playoffs, falling in the district final to Versailles. The Wildcats have won 63 straight against SBAAC foes, dating back to the 2014 season. Williamsburg returns senior Paige Fisher and Clermont Northeastern, runner-up in the SBAAC National five straight years, returns top offensive threat Lexi Eyre. In the SBAAC American, Western Brown is looking for back-to-back division titles behind junior Olivia Young, the conference kills leader from last season.
Southwest Ohio Conference
Little Miami was consistently one of the top teams in the SWOC, including an outright title last season, but is now in the ECC. That could open the door for Harrison, which has gone 52-20 over the last three seasons combined (29-7 in SWOC play), including a share of the SWOC title in 2018. Senior outside hitter Lucy Banks will be key for the Wildcats this season. Edgewood went 18-6 last season and returns senior outside hitter Callie Hunt.
Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference
Hughes is back hoping to defend its CMAC Reddivision title. The Big Red went 13-2 overall and 9-1 in conference play and welcomes back player of the year Kayla Williams. Gamble Montessori ran the table in the CMAC Blue a season ago, going 9-5 overall and 6-0 in conference action. Aiken's Mercedes Bowman led the CMAC in kills last season and is hoping to lead the Falcons up the standings.
