NEW MIAMI — When Shalei McColm walks into the New Miami High School gymnasium, she doesn’t just see a volleyball team.
She sees a group of young women she has taught in class and guided through years of steady growth.
Now in her sixth year with the Vikings program and fourth as head coach, McColm is watching the culmination of something special unfold as the postseason approaches.
“This group has been playing together since eighth grade,” McColm said. “They’re a tough group. They don’t give up. They’re easy to coach, and they’re smart girls. They just work hard for what they want.”
The results show.
New Miami (16-5) capped the regular season as Miami Valley Conference White Division champions, finishing a perfect 8-0 in league play.
The Vikings have rattled off eight straight wins and nine of their last 10 entering tournament play — a far cry from where the program stood when McColm joined the staff.
“When I first started coaching here, we barely had enough for two teams,” McColm said. “Each year as we’ve been getting better, more people wanted to play. We actually almost had to cut people the past two years because of how many wanted to join.
“And this year, they even started a couple of teams in our elementary. It’s really exciting to see it broaden — more people enjoying it, coming to watch and starting to play at a younger age.”
The Vikings’ roster leans heavily on experience — six seniors who have built chemistry and trust through years of playing together. McColm credits that bond as the heartbeat of the team’s success.
“Our main captain is Kadie Davidson — No. 5,” McColm said. “She started varsity as a freshman — the only one in that group to do it. She’s our workhorse. She keeps the team positive, always smiling, always working hard. She pushes the girls, and they respond really well to her.”
Davidson leads the MVC with 100 service aces. Though Davidson wears the captain’s title, McColm says leadership runs deeper than a single player.
“The other five seniors are great leaders, too. They just mesh so well,” she said. “I feel like I have six full varsity leaders with just one named captain.”
Rylee Roberts, Brooklyn Sandlin, Kierra Ball, Haley Stout and Aubrey Esselborn round out the rest of the seniors.
Those seniors — and their example — have helped younger players buy in quickly. Practices, McColm said, are as competitive as they are focused. The team’s identity is built on intensity and togetherness.
“They would see hustle, hard work, communication — a team working together to meet one goal,” McColm said when asked what fans should expect from her group. “We have strong hitters, hard workers in the back row willing to go after any ball, and a few girls who can block. We just do what we need to do to get where we need to be.”
McColm said the relationships she’s built with her players have gone far beyond the gym.
“I started with this group of seniors in class,” she said. “So not only am I their coach, but I’ve had them in class for a few years. It’s been a really great experience, especially to have it this year with these girls.”
That connection, McColm believes, has shaped the program’s culture — one that values accountability, effort and trust.
“I think being able to know the girls, not just on the court but personally — to know how they work and how I can best push them — that helps a lot,” McColm said. “I always say instead of giving them what they can handle, I’d rather push their expectations and mine. The standards we set are what help us continue to grow.”
Even the summer workouts reflect that philosophy. Some freshmen, McColm noted, arrive without being able to serve overhand or set consistently — but by the start of the season, they’ve caught up to the program’s pace.
“The beginning of the year is always a little tough, especially over the summer,” McColm said. “But we just keep pushing them to work and be greater every year, every day.”
That standard has turned New Miami volleyball into one of the most consistent small-school programs in the area. The Vikings shared the MVC Gray Division title with Seven Hills in 2022, and now they’re outright champions in the White Division.
“It’s exciting. I’m very grateful,” McColm said. “I’m very proud to be able to say we can do this. I think it’s actually a really big deal, and I’m excited for the future of New Miami volleyball.”
The Vikings open Division IV tournament play Thursday, Oct. 23, at Princeton High School. They’ll face the winner of Felicity-Franklin and Spencer Center at 5:30 p.m. at Princeton.
“They want it just as much as I want it,” McColm said. “They’ve worked hard for everything they’ve earned. I couldn’t ask for a better group.”
Here are the opening postseason matchups for area Southwest District girls volleyball:
No. 1 Springboro vs. No. 6 Springfield, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 6 p.m. at Butler.
No. 13 Hamilton vs. No. 14 Fairfield, Monday, Oct. 20, 5 p.m. at Lakota East. Winner plays No. 4 Mason on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 5 p.m. at Lakota East.
No. 7 Lakota West vs. No. 11 Little Miami, Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. at Loveland.
No. 8 Lebanon vs. No. 10 Oak Hills, Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. at Loveland.
No. 9 Lakota East vs. No. 16 Princeton, Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 5 p.m. at Loveland.
No. 3 Loveland vs. No. 17 Middletown, Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Lakota East.
Kings vs. Winton Woods, Monday, Oct. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at Princeton.
Mount Notre Dame vs. Edgewood, Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 5 p.m. at Loveland.
No. 6 Carroll vs. No. 7 Franklin, Tuesday, Oct. 14 at 5:30 p.m. at Xenia.
No. 6 Badin vs. No. 5 Goshen, Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 5 p.m. at Princeton.
No. 11 Withrow vs. No. 4 Talawanda, Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at Princeton.
No. 1 Ross vs. No. 12 Withrow, Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. at Princeton. Winner plays No. 15 Monroe on Tuesday Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. at Princeton.
Waynesville vs. Dunbar, Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 8:30 p.m. at Xenia.
Fenwick vs. Shroder, Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. at Lakota West.
Madison vs. Greenon, Saturday, Oct. 18 at 10 a.m. at Brookville.
Carlisle vs. Graham, Saturday, Oct. 18 at 2:30 p.m. at Brookville.
No. 3 Cincinnati Christian vs. No. 4 Fayetteville-Perry, Saturday, Oct. 18 at 12:30 p.m. at Norwood.
No. 2 New Miami against the winner of No. 3 Spencer Center and No. 5 Felicity Franklin on Thursday, Oct. 23 at 5:30 p.m. at Princeton.
No. 1 Middletown Christian against the winner of No. 4 CCPA and No. 6 Lockland on Thursday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at Princeton.
