Though the 2024-25 high school sports season is in the books, prep news keeps rolling. As summer approaches, here are some recent spring developments from Highlands High School.
COACHING VACANCIES FILLED
Tanner Hough is the new head boys wrestling coach. Hough is experiencing a promotion from assistant following Colin Roth’s departure after this year’s state tournament. Hough had a hand in the team’s success under Roth. He now takes the reins to shape the program further.
“Coach Hough played a key role in the development of our student-athletes,” Highlands athletic director Wes Caldwell said. “His dedication, leadership and passion for the sport have earned the respect of our wrestlers, coaching staff and school community.”
Caldwell says that Hough’s vision takes into consideration discipline, accountability and excellence. He expressed confidence in Hough’s ability to maintain the program’s upward trajectory while replacing the highly successful Roth. The Bluebirds came in fifth at this year’s local regional tournament in just the fifth year with a varsity squad and made it into the top 20 at the state meet.
Jonathan McKenzie, Highlands’ boys track and field coach since November, is quickly expanding his role at the school. He has taken on the added responsibility as head of the school’s cross country program.
Highlands AD Caldwell notes McKenzie “brings valuable experience and leadership to his new role.” Caldwell says McKenzie’s passion for distance running and dedication to student-athletes makes him a great fit to lead the team.
McKenzie inherits a strong program built by former coach Brian Alessandro, who resigned last year.
STANDOUTS MAKE COMMITMENTS
Four more Highlands student-athletes will continue their academic and athletic careers locally at Thomas More University. They are softball player Kaitlyn Dixon, baseball player Adam Forton, wrestler TJ Hicks and track and cross-country runner Brady Robinson.
Dixon, a rising senior at Highlands, announced Wednesday that she’s heading to TMU. The Northern Kentucky Softball Coaches Association Division II co-player of the year was 22-3 with a 1.18 ERA and 295 strikeouts this season. She also batted .390 with three home runs. Dixon was named a Kentucky Softball Coaches Association second-team all-state pick last week.
Forton, one of Highlands’ senior aces, posted a team-best 7-1 record with a 1.59 ERA this spring. He was the Bluebirds’ RBI leader with 32. He also ranked among team leaders in batting average (.356), doubles and stolen bases, adding a home run.
Hicks joined the Highlands wrestling team late as a senior due to football commitments but still had a 42-9 record before the state meet. Hicks was among eight state tournament qualifiers for the Bluebirds. He helped the team to an 18th-place finish at state after an outstanding regional meet. Hicks won the 2025 local regional championship at 150 pounds.
A multisport athlete, Robinson competed individually and on relay teams in track with distance races his specialty. He was the latest in a line of competitive cross-country runners at Highlands.
SOFTBALL LEGACY ON THE WAY
The Highlands softball team is so deep in young talent that the Bluebirds regularly feature middle schoolers with five seventh graders and nine eighth graders making the roster over the past three seasons. Next season will be no exception as returning catcher and first baseman Olivia Fromm will be an eighth grader.
Expected to eventually join Fromm is a large group of rising seventh graders who have played together for five years including Samantha Donelan, the daughter of former Highlands player and coach Jessica Donelan, whose father coaches the team. Slated to begin with the freshman squad next spring, the younger Donelan is poised to be Highlands softball’s first-ever legacy player.
“Fastpitch softball has been around Highlands only since 2001,” said coach Milt Horner, who became the school’s all-time winningest softball coach in May. “There hasn’t been enough time for former players to have children who can play.”
When Highlands calls upon seventh graders, the youngsters have been ready. Fromm hit .357 this season as a seventh grader. Starter Layla Zepf began varsity play as a seventh grader two seasons ago. Katherine Heilman led a trio of .300-hitting seventh graders three years ago. Allison Meyers hit .385 as a seventh grader in 2022. Current standouts Dixon, Northern Kentucky University recruit Payton Brown, Cam Markus and Morgan Pompilio all hit well over .300 as seventh graders in 2021.