This story originally appeared in the Sept. 8 edition of the weekly LINK Reader. To get these stories first, subscribe here.
Ryle High School’s Tasha Lovins has accomplished just about everything a prep volleyball coach can achieve, and then some.
Lovins grew up in Union, but she played high school volleyball at Lloyd Memorial High School. By happenstance, she wound up back on her home court after college. During a full-circle moment, she accepted a math teaching job in 2001 and became an assistant volleyball coach at Ryle, located just a few miles from where she grew up.
When she was named head coach of the Ryle varsity team shortly thereafter, she was merely the latest in a string of volleyball coaches who came and went in short order, creating a continuity issue for what was still a fledgling program after the school opened its doors in 1992. Lovins stopped the revolving door of coaches and has led the volleyball team longer than anyone else.
“I’ve been at Ryle 23 of the 32 years the school has been around,” Lovins said. “I grew up 4 miles from Ryle. My husband was in the second graduating class at Ryle. Just a lot of memorable experiences, so it’s been great.”
Lovins has made it greater. She regularly takes young players and coaches them up to the point that many become all-district and all-region stars. One, senior libero Alexis Woolf, recently broke the Ryle program record with her 1,275th career dig.
Lovins has sent her best players to college programs. She has guided Ryle to more than a dozen 33rd District championships, including the last three in a row and nine of the last 13 in a highly competitive district. She led the Raiders to a Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Division I title in 2021, the same year they finally beat Notre Dame Academy. Lovins recently won her 500th career match, extending her program record.
The district crowns and the NKAC title are remembered on the volleyball championship banner that hangs in the home gym. They are represented by years. But something is missing.
“There’s no year next to regional championships,” Lovins said. “We’ve been a Top 10 team in the state. But two of the best teams in the state are in our region.”
That would be Notre Dame and St. Henry, local stalwarts who keep blocking the Raiders’ bid for the big time. Notre Dame beat Ryle in last year’s regional tournament final.
“We have a great coach,” said Woolf, the No. 24 player in Kentucky, according to PrepDig.com. “She’s put a lot into the program. It means a lot to a person at Ryle. We’re working harder every day in practice to be even better.”
Woolf, a co-captain, plays a big role. She’s heading to Eastern Kentucky University on a volleyball scholarship. She led the Raiders in digs after three weeks of play. She ranked in the state Top 30 last season with over 500 digs.
“We’re working on service-receive and getting all three hitters available,” Woolf said. “Obviously, our goals are (to) win district and win the region for the first time. We can’t do it without playing our best.”
To get the best out of her players, Lovins schedules the best teams. Regional and state powers dot the slate.
“We know we have a tough region. We’ve made it to the final three times and haven’t won,” Lovins said. “We’re trying to get over the hump. The only way we can do it is schedule tough teams that get us prepared.”
Woolf, a four-year starter, believes the talent is there for a run at some Raider history.
“We’d love to go to state for the first time,” she said. “Every girl has to work really hard.”
It looks like her teammates got the message.
Through the first three weeks of play, a different player led the team in each significant statistical category. In addition to Woolf’s leadership in digs, Lucy Trapp, a transfer hitter from Campbell County, led the Raiders in kills. Setter Morgan Heater led the team in assists. Middle blocker Rachel King led in blocks. Defensive specialist Olivia Karlosky led in service aces.
Middle blocker Abby Lester was second in kills and blocks. Setter/hitter Karsyn Griffin was second in assists and aces and third in kills. The first players off the bench are defensive specialist Clara Hansel and outside hitter Becca Kramer, who was fourth in kills. Middle blocker Merisa Workman was fifth in kills.
Woolf, Workman, Lester and Hansel were filling a leadership void with fellow senior Kiana Dinn unavailable due to a foot injury. Dinn is a co-captain and a Pittsburgh commit. With a fully healthy squad that includes at least two future college players, Lovins said the Raiders have what it takes to add to their championship banner.
“The girls are having conversations about it in practice,” the coach said. “They’re working really hard because they don’t like losing.”