The OCAC league regular-season championship was the eighth consecutive conference crown earned by the Clermont countians.
The Cougars were 24-6 overall and 22-3 during the regular season.
Included among the victories was the second straight league tournament title earned by the Red and Black.
“They improved so much over last year. They were dominating teams this year,” said Joe Harpring, UC Clermont’s head coach. “I knew we had the potential to do very well again. We had an exceptional freshman class that joined the team that already had eight to the 13 who lettered last year returning.”
“The kids have learned and persevered and they have learned to overcome adversities.”
Harpring believes his team’s incredible amount of improvement is due to several additional factors including “fast defense in the back and a lot of height at the net.”
Statistically, many of his charges stand out.
Rachel Hays, junior middle hitter, and Kaitlyn Miller, freshman middle hitter and outside hitter, were the leaders, percentage-wise, at .389 and .380, respectively.
Cindy Votell, senior defensive specialist, was the passing leader with a very impressive number of more than 250 digs.
Hayes also had numerous totals in other categories with more than 34 solo blocks and blocking assists and Emily Rogers-Fightmaster, sophomore middle hitter, had many solo blocks and blocking assists.
Hays was selected as the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Week for the week of September 4-10. In that time frame the Cougars won all four games played as she tallied 44 kills, 11 solo blocks, 10 block assists, 10 aces served and an extremely impressive .449 hitting percentage.
Rebecca Walton, sophomore setter and defensive specialist, was an early leader among the Clermont countians by with her outstanding serving, including many aces. Miller, Hayes, and Courtney Maier, freshman defensive specialist, also accumulated very impressive numbers.
The outstanding setters during the season-long campaign were Walton and Courtney Davis, junior setter.
Two Clermont countians were extremely vital to the success achieved atop the hills of Batavia. Hays, an Amelia High School graduate, and Pettit, a Goshen High School graduate.
Harpring says “What can you say? Rachel earned first team All-American. She was second in the nation in hitting percentage at .410 was tops in the nation for blocks. She came into her own and now has great confidence and is a dominant force. . .”
Pettit is redshirting this season due to transferring this year to Clermont College from Notre Dame College, but her coach is very encouraged and excited about her off-year work. “She is working hard at practicing for a good year next year.”
The Cougars’ head coach is very positive and excited about his team’s overall performance this year.
“The returning lettermen gained experience in playing hard and continued to play well in tight situations. This, and the level of talent of the freshman was responsible for our success. . .
“The offense was high powered and the defense was very quick.
“Everybody played their role very well. Our team depth was also strong and a tremendous factor in our success.”
Another Clermont County high school graduate is also a major factor in the success of the UC Clermont program. Megan Otten, a Felicity High School graduate and a member of the college’s athletic hall of fame, is an assistant coach to Harpring.
“Megan always does great work on the court with the team and with the girls by assisting them with their academic and administrative work and needs, and teaches them how to play on the collegiate level.”
Harpring can only foresee good things for his program’s upcoming seasons.
The eight consecutive regular season championships have been won by UC Clermont in two different conferences.
“This regular-season title was especially gratifying for the team because they had to work to hard to obtain it,” said Harpring after his conference clinching victory over Ohio Christian University. “Ohio Christian always plays very well when they come to our gym. It was a great match with lots of momentum shifts. Our kids figuratively had to scratch and claw to get the win and should be very proud of their accomplishment. I am so pleased with the way they meshed together…The program is going in the right direction.”
“A proof that our program has gained a good reputation is that we don’t have to go out recruiting much. A number of high school seniors are calling me with great interest in our program.”
A standout high school senior who has already committed to UC Clermont is Kiley Collins, a superb middle hitter at Goshen High School who was a Southern Buckeye Conference American Division all-star.
Amelia senior Alex Robb has also very recently committed to the Cougars. She was a senior setter for the Barons. She, too, was a Southern Buckeye Conference American Division all-star.
Season Results
Southern State Community College (win) 25-13, 25-17, 25-11.
Penn State University – Beaver Invitational: Penn State University – Beaver (win) 25-9, 25-17, 25-12; Ohio State University – Marion (win) 25-8, 25-14, 25-13; and Rochester College (the Cougar’s only loss) 13-25, 22-25, 27-29.
West Virginia State University – Parkersburg (two wins) 25-24, 25-12, 25-8 and 25-15, 25-9, 25-10.
Clark State Community College (win) 25-21, 25-16, 25-12.
Miami University – Hamilton (win) 25-20, 25-20, 25-14.
Ohio State University – Mansfield (win) 25-14, 25-9, 25-22.
Kent State University – Tuscarawas (win) 25-19, 25-14, 25-16.
Ohio Christian University (win) 25-23, 25-19, 25-16.
Ohio State University – Marion (win) 25-12, 25-11, 25-11.
Wright State University – Lake (win) 25-20, 25-8, 25-9.
Miami University – Middletown (win) 25-10, 23-25, 25-15, 25-13.
Sinclair Community College (loss) 13-25, 15-25, 28-30.
Ohio State University – Marion (win) 25-11, 26-24, 25-10.
Miami University – Hamilton (win) 25-14, 25-16, 26-24.
Southern State Community College (win) 25-23, 25-14, 25-18.
Central State University (win) 25-11, 25-23, 25-21.
Sinclair Community College (loss) 25-20, 12-25, 23-25, 12-25.
Ohio Christian University (win) 25-10, 25-27, 25-13, 26-24.
Clark State University (win) 22-25, 25-14, 25-10, 25-10.
Miami University – Middletown (win) 21-25, 25-15, 25-12, 25-19.
Ohio State University – Marion (win) 25-18, 25-14, 25-11.
Ohio Christian University (win) 25-15, 25-12, 25-18.
United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Tournament
Rochester College 25-12, 25-12 (loss).
Penn State Mont Alto 22-25, 25-22, 15-12 (win).
Penn College 25-18, 18-25, 15-11 (win).
Spalding University 19-25, 18-25 (loss).
USCAA Quarter-finals
Southern Virginia University 18-25, 25-20, 13-25 (loss).
Roster Remainder
Harley Morris, freshman outside hitter; Rachel Ferguson, junior defensive specialist and outside hitter; Katie Sipe, freshman outside hitter; Haley Weber, sophomore middle hitter and outside hitter; and Rachel Mullins, freshman middle hitter and right side hitter.
Tom Regensburger is an assistant coach.
Peggy Hager, a graduate of Glen Este High School, is an associate professor of mathematics at UC Clermont and a member of the school’s athletic hall of fame and the Cougars’ academic advisor.