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Our Nighthawks are gearing up for an exciting year!
Competition will look different for some teams, with the division realignment in the Miami Valley Conference. Football and volleyball will experience a new three-division conference. Compared to the regular Scarlet and Gray Divisions, the MVC has added a third White Division for football and volleyball. The divisions are based on school size and competitiveness. Football remains in the Gray Division, but our Nighthawks now face three MVC opponents instead of five. Volleyball faces four MVC opponents in the Scarlet Division, instead of six.
Our athletics programs have experienced a multitude of successes in the past couple of years, and this year’s teams are looking to continue that momentum. The Class of 2026 is looking to set some unprecedented records and leave their mark in their own way.
Here’s what you can expect from our 2025 fall varsity teams:
Cross Country
It will be an exciting running season for the Nighthawks as the cross-country team has some significant individual performers this year.
Senior Vanca Pandey has been an outstanding runner for CCDS. She was crowned the MVC Champion in 2022 and 2023. Last year, she finished 5th at the MVC Championships, 6th at the OHSAA Southwest District Championship, 16th at regionals out of 87 runners, and received Cincinnati Enquirer All City First Team honors. This year, Pandey is looking to shatter the girls all-time 5000m school record; she is under a minute away from getting there.
Junior Max Sun will lead on the boys’ side. He had an incredible sophomore year, finishing 14th at the MVC Championship and 10th at Districts. Sun also received Cincinnati Enquirer All-City First Team honors. He was 16 seconds away from entering the CCDS boys top 25 best overall 5000m times, and as a sophomore!
Several young runners will kickstart their varsity career and make a big impact for the Nighthawks. The team kicks off its season by hosting the Cincinnati Country Day High School Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, August 23.
Football
The Nighthawks football team is seeking their fifth straight Miami Valley Conference Championship this season. Since 2021, the program has gone 40-8, including a 19-game undefeated streak in conference play. The 2025 squad is looking to add some more tallies to the win column.
The impact that the Class of 2025 had on the football program will last forever, the winningest class in school history, with four straight MVC championships and four straight playoff appearances. There are some big shoes to fill this year, but members of Team 86 are hoping to carry on what the Class of 2025 has set up while adding to the team’s ever-growing list of accolades.
“I’m excited for my senior year and to try to become the winningest class in Country Day football history. Last year’s seniors have eight more wins than us, so the goal is to try and beat that,” said senior Myles Shaw.
With just eight upperclassmen, this year’s team is young. The Nighthawks can expect the seniors to help lead this young team; Lucas Donahue, Michael Hendrix, Brandon Proffit, Will Robinson, and Myles Shaw lead the charge.
Donahue, Robinson, and Shaw are the heart and soul of the Nighthawks' defense. They combined for 236 tackles and led the defense in sacks. They’re hoping to add some more quarterbacks to their list this season. While these three lock down the line, they can find help in the secondary from Hendrix, Proffit, junior Leon Hall, and sophomore Thomas Huckleby, who combined for 262 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, and 11 interceptions.
On the other side of the ball, Huckleby will be a huge returner for the offense as he led the Nighthawks in receiving last year with 938 yards and 13 touchdowns. Proffit added 551 yards and 3 touchdowns. There are some gaps in the lineup with the loss of last year’s seniors, but plenty of young teammates are ready to step up and continue the winning tradition.
“Our success will be dependent on the development of our freshman and sophomore classes. It’s important that our coaching staff and the upperclassmen help the young guys navigate what it takes to compete at the varsity levels,” says Head Coach Dennis Coyle.
With the conference realignment, CCDS will face a lighter MVC schedule with only three other teams in the Gray Division. But the Nighthawks will still battle through a challenging schedule. They open the season at home in the Brian J. Bortz Family Stadium for the 54th Country Day Cup versus Summit Country Day on Saturday, August 22, at 7:00 p.m.
Boys Golf
The boys’ golf team has already gotten off to a hot start, competing in seven matches before the first day of school. The Nighthawks faced some great competition on August 4 at the Madeira Invitational. Senior Evan Ross scored an 82 to finish T-11 out of 75 golfers, which included a back-nine score of 39. Sophomore Ray Chen shot a personal best at the varsity level with a 99. Ross will be a standout for the Nighthawks this year. Last season, he averaged a 41, the third best for the team. Both Ross and Chen finished in the top 25 MVC individual leaders last season.
The team graduated four seniors last year, including MVC Boys Golfer of the Year, Ethan Argus. This season will be an opportunity for several golfers to prove what they can do at the varsity level. The boys will compete in 15 matches this year, including the MVC Championship on August 16 and September 10.
Girls Golf
The CCDS girls’ golf team opened the season with a home team advantage. The annual CCDS Invitational took place on August 5 at Fairfield North Trace Golf Course. The Nighthawks competed for 18 holes against nine schools and a total of 52 golfers.
Some familiar faces will step onto the greens this year. The 2025 team is led by senior captain Lillian Shafer, who finished fourth in the MVC individual standings last season with an average score of 48.30. Shafer shot an 81 through 18 holes at the CCDS Invitational. Seniors Gracie Dickerhoof and Ali Zimmerman return with Shafer for their final year. The team welcomes four new golfers this season: seniors Leah Coyle and Noor Elkasaby, junior Scarlet Highlands-Amster, and sophomore Sophie Corwin.
Head coaches Jeanette Hecker and Pat Dunn are “excited about the progress all our golfers will make this season.”
The team is ready to face some tough opponents this year. The Nighthawks will compete in 13 matches this season, including the MVC Tournament on August 16 and September 10 at Eagles Nest Golf Course.
Boys Soccer
The CCDS boys’ soccer team is looking forward to an exciting 2025 season. The boys will field a significantly smaller team – eight players graduated in May 2025 – but that won’t stop this team from going toe-to-toe with some tough competition. The Nighthawks have several key returners to help lead this team in the right direction.
Senior Gabriel Benitez was one of the best goalies in the MVC last season, leading the league in saves with 102. He received All-Conference First Team MVC honors and Cincinnati Enquirer All-City First Team honors in 2024.
Senior Trey Blum led the team in goals and assists last year with 5, accounting for 15 total points. Blum received All-Conference Second Team MVC honors last year.
With the help of seniors Morris Helmantel and Kane Ma, Benitez and Blum will be significant leaders for this 2025 team. Helmantel and Ma will man the backline. Helmantel notched 2 goals and 3 assists for the Nighthawks last season.
CCDS will battle some fierce competition this season. The boys take on reigning MVC Gray Division Champions, Cincinnati Christian, on September 16, followed by a tough match-up against rival and defending OHSAA Division V State Champions, Summit Country Day, on September 18. They start the season on August 16 at Winton Woods.
Girls Soccer
Producing six MVC championships and four state championships in the last 10 years, there is no question that the CCDS girls’ soccer program remains one of the top in the city.
The 2024 squad finished 8-7-4, making it to the second round of the OHSAA state tournament, which is where their season ended. After graduating 23 players over the last two years, it was certainly a rebuilding year for these Nighthawks. But Coach Theresa Hirschauer is excited to see what this group of hard-working young talent can do:
“This is one of the smallest teams in my career, with only 23 players on the full roster and one senior. Our goal is to put the plan together piece by piece, with the target being the OHSAA tournament. I’m excited to watch the young players gain valuable game experience and lessons.”
Goalkeeper Alyssa Easter, the lone senior, is also hoping to make a run with this young squad. Easter has been a difference-maker for this program since becoming a starter her sophomore year. Last season, she led the MVC in saves with 180 and sat at third for shutouts with 6. As a sophomore, she led the MVC in shutouts with 15, which included all seven playoff games of the Nighthawks' dominant 2023 state tournament run.
Easter will have the help of returning junior Josie Hyden, a three-year starter and the anchor for the Nighthawks’ defense. Hyden received All-Conference Second Team MVC honors last season and accounted for 4 goals and 6 assists on offense.
Leading the attack will be junior Audrey de Alarcon, who notched 8 goals, 6 assists, and accounted for 22 points last season.
With Easter, de Alarcon, and Hyden leading the helm, this squad is looking to get back to state championship form.
With a tough schedule against talented Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky programs, this young team will be tested each step of the way, but with high hopes of a deep OHSAA tournament run.
The Nighthawks open the season at home in the Brian J. Bortz Family Stadium against Conner High School on Tuesday, August 19, at 6:30 p.m.
Girls Tennis
With 27 players, the girls’ tennis team is one of our biggest programs in CCDS athletics. The 2024 team finished at an even .500 in both the conference and overall competition. This left the Nighthawks sitting at third in the MVC; this season, they’re hoping to capture their first MVC Championship since 2012. Three players made it to the OHSAA Southwest Districts last season, and Coach Kyle Scully and her team are making it a goal to send more.
The 2025 team has several key returners who will add to the Nighthawks' success this year. Seniors Caroline and Katherine Connelly had an impressive junior season, making it to Districts. They hold the school records for most doubles matches won in a career and a season. They received All Conference Second Team (doubles) MVC honors and Cincinnati Enquirer All City Second Team (doubles) honors.
Reema Arebi also made it to Districts as a sophomore. She’s tied for fifth most single matches won in a season with sophomore Elena Gregorsok. Arebi received All Conference Second Team (singles) MVC honors and Cincinnati Enquirer All City Second Team (singles) honors.
Other notable returners include juniors Gertrude Lazarus and Andrea Sgro Plaut, and senior Ellie Texter, who all received All Conference Honorable Mention MVC honors last season.
This will be an exciting tennis season for the Nighthawks at all levels. The Nighthawks host the CCDS Invitational on August 16, just their second match of the season. On September 20 and hosted on our campus, they will compete in the Coaches Classic, where they are looking to go back-to-back.
Volleyball
A young team will step onto the court this year for the Nighthawks volleyball program. After graduating seven seniors from the 2024 squad, only two varsity players return: junior Ellie Albers and sophomore Jordyn Brown. Albers and Brown will step into leadership roles and help navigate the growth of the team.
Albers, an outside hitter and middle blocker, received All Conference Second Team MVC honors and Cincinnati Enquirer All City Second Team honors. She led the team with 134 kills, averaging 1.97 per game, and was a top 10 MVC leader in blocks, with 27. Expect Albers to be a dominant force behind the net again this year.
Brown is coming off an outstanding freshman season. As a setter and right-side hitter, she led the team in assists (415), aces (82), and had the second most digs (121). She received All-Conference Second Team MVC honors and Cincinnati Enquirer All-City Honorable Mention honors.
Coach Kaitlyn Mulvaney has winning in mind but also wants to focus on the development of her players: “As a young program, we’re looking forward to focusing on culture, growth, and being good teammates.”
There’s no doubt that the MVC is home to some outstanding volleyball programs. This young team is ready to battle against the best, including defending OHSAA Division IV State Champions, Roger Bacon, and long-time rival, Summit Country Day. Their season begins on August 16 at the Deer Park Tri, where they play a double header against Deer Park High School and Middletown Christian School.