Badin Has Solid Returning Core, Looks To Have Strong Comeback Season In 2026
Badin High School senior outside hitter Emily O'Brien winds up for a serve Aug. 20, 2026, during a girls volleyball match against visiting Summit Country Day at Mulcahey Gym in Hamilton. The Rams opened their season with a 25-16, 25-23, 25-16 victory and will host Lebanon on Monday.
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By Rick Cassano
HAMILTON – The climb has started for Badin High School’s girls volleyball team.
The Rams endured an 8-15 season in 2025, the program’s first losing record since 2015, and now they’re determined to get back to their customary level of success.
“It’s hard because we’ve got a tough schedule,” fifth-year Badin coach Courtney Weinheimer said. “We don’t play any gimme teams, so we’ve got to keep working every single day and make sure when we step on the court that we’re ready to go after anyone. It doesn’t matter who’s over there. We’re ready to take them down.”
The Division III Rams kicked off the 2026 campaign with a 25-16, 25-23, 25-16 victory over visiting Summit Country Day on Thursday at Mulcahey Gym, creating an immediate positive vibe heading into Monday’s home match with Lebanon.
“It was a good first win,” Weinheimer said. “We definitely had some times where we took some points for granted and we need to work on that, but I think overall it was good as far as communicating and ball control. We did what we needed to do to get the win.”
Badin’s roster includes seven seniors and a standout pair of veteran middle hitters in juniors Brooklyn Johnson and Addie Pfiester, who totaled 11 kills apiece against Summit. They also combined for nine blocks.
“I think we can do big things,” Johnson said. “People might look down on us because of last year, but I think people should expect a good, positive season from us. I think we’re going to prove a lot of people wrong.”
Senior libero Carley Nadler, senior outside hitter Emily O’Brien and senior setter Caitlin Brown are also among the key returnees for the Rams.
Brown collected 24 assists, 14 digs, four aces and three blocks in the opener. Nadler chipped in 14 digs, while O’Brien had eight kills and seven digs. Junior Ava Treadway contributed 10 assists.
Weinheimer said the middles “are our go-tos right now.” She also likes the team’s overall mentality.
“I think the strength is they trust each other,” Weinheimer said. “They are working together instead of working as individuals.”
Summit swept Badin last season, but second-year Silver Knights coach Courtney Perdue said she lost 13 players from that squad.
Perdue praised the play of libero Rylee Jewell and outside hitters Allie Shaw and Margaret Seitz on Thursday.
“We do have a young team, so this game definitely showed us a lot of what we need to work on,” Perdue said. “Their middles shut us down … they’re great middles. I think we’ve got to get out of our heads. This was really a mental game.”
Johnson felt like the Rams turned in a solid performance.
“It really showed that we’re good at putting a ball down,” she said. “We came out with a lot of energy and really kept it up. I thought we carried ourselves really well. Everyone gets along on this team. We’re like a sisterhood in a way.”
Badin went 67-16 in Weinheimer’s first three seasons at the helm and advanced to the Division II state tournament in 2022.
Weinheimer said she’s waiting to see which varsity newcomers will rise up and consistently assume key roles. She did mention freshman pin hitter Annie Mathews and junior defensive specialist Addy Nguyen.
“Addy sees the ball really well. She’s all over the place getting the ball up,” Weinheimer said. “She’s that little spark that’s a great complement to Carley’s libero. We know they’re going to talk to each other and not let anything hit the ground.
“I don’t have huge concerns about this team. My biggest concern is just our consistency and ability to stack points all the way to 25 without mental lapses. They’ve got to make sure they don’t take their foot off the pedal. Our returners are the ones setting the stage and they’re setting the bar high. We’ve got newbies out and playing roles, but I’m waiting to see who’s going to be a leader of those new kids.”
Weinheimer said McNicholas and Fenwick are the teams to beat in the Greater Catholic League Coed Division. The Rockets took down the Falcons in the regional finals en route to the 2025 Division IV state title.
McNick has moved up to D-III this season and will travel to Badin on Sept. 15.
