Gahanna Lincoln volleyball claimed the 2026 Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) district championship on Thursday, Oct. 29, beating Pickerington North 3-2 at Central Crossing High School in Grove City.
The five-set victory carried extra weight.
Pickerington North had swept the Golden Lions twice during the regular season, 3-0 on Sept. 29 and 3-0 on Oct. 15. In the district final, Gahanna Lincoln won and outlasted the Panthers in five sets to take the title.
The Gahanna Lincoln Athletics account posted on X before the match, sharing a photo of the team warming up and thanking Central Crossing for hosting the game.
After the win, a post from the athletics program declared the Lions "the 2026 OHSAA VOLLEYBALL DISTRICT CHAMPIONS."
The district title caps a postseason run that began Oct. 27 with a 3-1 semifinal win over Hilliard Davidson at Hilliard Davidson High School. The Golden Lions entered the tournament with a 12-10 regular-season record, according to the team's schedule page, and now stand at 14-10 overall.
The varsity roster lists 10 seniors among 16 players. That group includes outside hitter/middle blocker Nadiya Webb, setter Aeva Bacome, middle blocker Kaylee Jackson and libero/defensive specialist Kiki Miller.
Gahanna Lincoln's next test is the OHSAA regional semifinal against Olentangy Liberty on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 8 p.m. at Hilliard Darby High School in Hilliard. The OHSAA tournament calendar shows the regional round runs Nov. 2-7, with the state tournament set for Nov. 12-14.
