From championships and postseason berths to individual recognition and emerging young stars, Walnut Hills girls' athletics is making an impact across the fall season. At Walnut Hills High School, success in girls' athletics is showing up in more than one place this fall.

Across the course, court, field, fairway and pool, Walnut Hills girls are competing at ahigh level and earning recognition throughout the Cincinnati area. With more than 600 female student-athletes competing across 18 sports, the depth of Walnut Hills girls
athletics are significant. And through September 20, several programs have already given the school plenty to celebrate.

Girls Golf: A Historic Season

The biggest team success of the fall has come from girls' golf.

The Lady Eagles captured both the ECC Preseason and Postseason Tournament
championships, winning the preseason event by six strokes over Lebanon before returning to the top of the leaderboard at the September 10 postseason tournament. Walnut Hills shot a 312, finishing 18 strokes ahead of runner-up Anderson's 330. The postseason tournament victory marked the second ECC tournament championship of the season for Walnut Hills. The Eagles then advanced to the OHSAA Division I district tournament as a team after finishing third at the Walden Ponds sectional.

Senior Ash Kertpet has been one of the conference's leading individual golfers. She shot a 73 at the sectional tournament—the best score among ECC golfers competing in that round—and currently ranks fourth among ECC golfers with a 39.2 average. Teammates Elise Weinrich, Amy Wongsaroj and Grace Gong also rank among the conference's top golfers statistically.

Walnut's athletic department reported the team at 9–2 overall with only one ECC loss heading into its final conference match. Regardless of how the final conference race unfolds, the 2026 season has already established a new standard for Walnut Hills girls golf.

Girls Soccer: Near the Top of the ECC

Girls' soccer has also put together a strong conference season. As of September 20, Walnut Hills is 5–3–2 overall and 3–0–1 in ECC play, placing the Eagles in a tie with Milford for second place in the conference standings. The Eagles' conference run includes a 2–1 victory over Loveland on September 15. Walnut then faced Lakota West on September 19, falling 2–0.

Individually, junior Karringtyn Wilder has been one of the conference's leading offensive players, while Eliza Pierce has also received significant recognition. Pierce was among the September 15 Enquirer Athlete of the Week nominees.

The team still has plenty of season remaining, but its 3–0–1 conference record has already positioned the Eagles among the ECC's top teams.

Girls Volleyball: Veteran Leadership and Young Talent

Girls' volleyball has experienced a more up-and-down stretch but has still produced several individual standouts.

The Eagles enter September 20 at 4–6 overall. Walnut opened the season with a 3–0 sweep of Reading, defeated West Clermont in five sets, and picked up wins over Winton Woods and Purcell Marian before dropping four consecutive matches to Loveland, Milford, Lebanon and Anderson.

Despite the recent stretch, Walnut has several players making their mark statistically. Senior Hope Vernon currently ranks fifth in the ECC with 98 kills, while senior Sania Washington is tied for third in the conference with 24 blocks. Sophomore Natalie Smith ranks third in the ECC with 146 digs.

The program is also getting contributions from younger players, giving the Eagles a mix of experience and emerging talent as the second half of the regular season approaches.

Girls Water Polo: A 2–2 Start

Girls water polo deserves a place in the conversation as well.

The Lady Eagles are 2–2 through September 21, with victories over Mason and Milford. Walnut opened the season with a 10–6 victory over Mason on August 18 before defeating Milford 7–5 on August 25. The Eagles then dropped an 8–6 decision to Sycamore on September 2 and a 12–10 matchup with Milford on September 15.

The team competed at the Ohio Cup on September 19 and is scheduled to return to action September 22 against Princeton. The season is still in its early stages, but the 2–2 record and two early wins give the program a strong foundation heading into the remainder of its schedule.

Girls Cross Country: The Championship Is Still Ahead

Girls' cross country is a different kind of success story.

Unlike traditional team sports, cross country does not maintain a conventional win-loss record, making individual and meet performances the better measure of progress. Walnut Hills has competed at the Milford, Loveland, Little Miami and Troy Twilight invitationals this season, with the ECC Championship Meet scheduled for October 17. The championship season is therefore still ahead.

The ECC has identified October 17 at Milford as the conference championship date, giving Walnut Hills' runners several more weeks of competition and preparation before the conference meet.

For a program competing in one of the region's strongest conferences, the upcoming championship provides another opportunity for Walnut Hills girls to make their mark.

Field Hockey: Individual Excellence

Walnut Hills field hockey has also produced significant individual recognition this fall. Senior goalkeeper Gretchen Pearson was named an Enquirer Athlete of the Month winner on September 4, following recognition earlier in the season as an Athlete of the Week finalist.

Sophomore Audrey Westrich has also emerged as a player to watch. Westrich was an Enquirer Athlete of the Week nominee on September 15, with the ECC recognizing her for her passing, transition play and stick skills.

The field hockey program competes against a challenging schedule that includes programs such as St. Ursula, Kettering Fairmont, Oakwood, Mount Notre Dame, Summit Country Day and Indian Hill.

More Than the Scoreboard

What makes this fall particularly notable is not one championship or one athlete - it is the variety.

A golfer placing 3 at sections and the entire team advancing to the district tournament.
A soccer team is competing near the top of the ECC standings.
A volleyball senior is among the conference's leaders in kills.
A water polo team has already collected two wins.
Cross country runners are building toward a conference championship.
And field hockey athletes are earning recognition beyond the Walnut Hills community.

That is the broader story of girls' athletics at Walnut Hills.

Building a Legacy

Every successful season creates examples for the athletes who follow. The current generation of Lady Eagles gets to compete alongside teammates who are setting records, winning championships and earning recognition, while younger athletes get to see what is possible. At the end of the day, the success of one program helps raise the profile of them all.

Walnut Hills has a long history of successful girls' athletics, both team and individual, including conference championships and individual state-level accomplishments such as Quinn Schureck's 2026 OHSAA state championship in the 100-yard breaststroke.

The current fall athletes are adding their own chapters to that history—and the season is far from over. Through September 20, the message is already clear:

Walnut Hills girls' athletics isn't defined by one team or one championship. It's defined by hundreds of young women competing, leading and raising the standard across the entire department.

And this fall, the Lady Eagles are making their mark.