After an off-season of losing, gaining and retaining players, Ohio University tries to replicate its 2025 volleyball success by making it to the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the second straight year.
The Bobcats lost important players due to graduation, especially the team’s setter, Kendall White. Before playing for Ohio, White played at Liberty University for one season with limited playing time and at Kent State for two more. In two seasons as a Golden Flash, White played in 191 sets across 54 matches, tallying 1,367 assists.
After two seasons with Kent State, White decided to transfer to Ohio for her senior season. Her success and experience carried over to Ohio and immediately made her a leader on the team. In White’s first and only season as a Bobcat, she played in 102 sets across 27 matches and had 670 assists, which put her at 10th in the MAC, along with 52 kills.
In mid-October, Kendall White earned MAC Setter of the Week just a few days after having a career high 57 assists against Akron in just four sets, which was the second most in a game last season for the entire MAC.
Losing White is a big hit to the Bobcats, and in an attempt to fill her place, Ohio brought in Bellarmine University sophomore transfer Lillie Meinhart. In her freshman year at Bellarmine, Meinhart did not see much action. She only played in 10 sets across four matches, but was able to record 71 assists. Ohio sees potential in her and hopes to grow her into a starting setter with the help of returning junior setter Bryn Janke.
Luckily, the Bobcats' roster did not see too many changes, with multiple talented players returning. The 2025 MAC Volleyball Freshman of the Year, Bailey Blair, returns for her sophomore season, trying to replicate her dominance in year one.
Blair led the team in points and kills, and was second in blocks, showing how talented she can be on both sides of the ball. Her 360 kills and 405.5 points put her at ninth and eighth in the MAC.
Blair was one of two Bobcats named to the first team All-MAC list, next to senior middle blocker Emily Waddell. Last season, Waddell was second on the team in kills, third in hitting percentage and first in blocks. Waddell also had a career day last season in a sweep over Miami University in October.
In the game against Miami, Waddell had 14 kills, which is the third most kills in a three-set MAC match last season. Her hitting percentage was also 0.778, which was the highest hitting percentage in a MAC game last season.
After three years as the assistant coach and one year as the interim head coach, Kenzie Brinkman has her first year as the official head coach after leading her team to the MAC Tournament last year.
With many returning players and no questions surrounding the head coach position, the Bobcats attempt to get out to a faster start to open up the season and keep that momentum going throughout the rest of the season and into a potential MAC Tournament berth again in 2026.
