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Rachel Winkler, a 2020 graduate of Oak Hills High School, serves as the Head Girls Lacrosse Coach for the Highlanders. A former Highlander student-athlete, Coach Winkler brings extensive playing experience, five years of coaching experience, and a strong passion for developing young athletes both on and off the field.

A defensive standout during her playing career at Oak Hills, Coach Winkler continued her lacrosse career at Mount St. Joseph University, where she competed at the NCAA Division III level for five seasons. During her collegiate career, she served as a team captain for four years, demonstrating the leadership, commitment, and competitive spirit that she now brings to the sidelines as a coach.

In addition to leading the Oak Hills program, Coach Winkler has continued to contribute to the growth of lacrosse through her involvement with Headlines Lacrosse Club during the summer and fall seasons. Her coaching philosophy emphasizes collaboration, accountability, resilience, and creating an environment where student-athletes can develop confidence and reach their full potential.

Coach Winkler graduated from Mount St. Joseph University with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a minor in Biology. She has also pursued graduate studies in Secondary Education at Xavier University with a focus in Life Sciences. Her passion for education extends beyond athletics, with a particular interest in biology and supporting young women interested in pursuing opportunities in STEM.

Outside of coaching and education, Coach Winkler enjoys spending time outdoors and staying connected with former teammates from both her high school and collegiate playing careers.

As a proud Oak Hills alumna, Coach Winkler is excited to give back to the program and community that helped shape her as a student-athlete. Her commitment to education, women's athletics, and student-athlete development continues to make a positive impact on the next generation of Highlanders.

Coach Sowders brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and proven success to the Oak Hills Baseball program. Throughout his head coaching career, he has accumulated more than 248 victories while leading his teams to six league championships, three sectional championships, and multiple district championships. He has also been named Cincinnati Coach of the Year and has earned Conference Coach of the Year honors seven times.

Under Coach Sowders' leadership, the Highlanders have experienced tremendous postseason success. In 2025, he guided Oak Hills to a 17–11 record and an OHSAA Southwest District Championship, the program’s first district title in 29 years. The Highlanders followed that historic season by capturing another OHSAA Southwest District Championship in 2026, securing back-to-back district titles and continuing the program’s rise among the top teams in Southwest Ohio.

Player development has been a cornerstone of Coach Sowders' career. He has helped more than 131 players advance to compete at the collegiate level, demonstrating his commitment to preparing student-athletes for success beyond high school.

Coach Sowders is also the founder and director of Cincinnati Future Stars. Through the program, he has helped develop more than 250 players who have gone on to play collegiate baseball, with nine players being selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.

Coach Sowders earned his undergraduate degree from Hanover College and his master’s degree from Miami University. He continues to bring a championship mindset, extensive baseball knowledge, and a passion for player development to the Oak Hills Baseball program.

DJ Dunn is entering his sixth year as Head Coach of the Oak Hills Boys Lacrosse program. A former Highlander, Coach Dunn graduated from Oak Hills High School in 2015 and has been closely connected to the growth of lacrosse on Cincinnati’s west side throughout his playing and coaching career.

Coach Dunn began playing lacrosse in 2011 with the Westside Wildcats. As a freshman in 2012, he was a member of the inaugural Oak Hills Boys Lacrosse team when the program was established. He competed for the Highlanders throughout all four years of his high school career and earned All-Region honors as an attackman during his senior season.

Following his playing career, Coach Dunn returned to the Highlander program as an assistant coach for two seasons before taking over as head coach. His experience as both a player and coach provides him with a unique connection to the history and continued development of Oak Hills Boys Lacrosse.

In addition to coaching at Oak Hills, Coach Dunn spends his summers coaching with the Velocity Lacrosse travel program, where he continues to develop and mentor lacrosse players beyond the high school season.

Jackie has been teaching and coaching varsity softball since 2006. In addition to a Division I collegiate career, she competed professionally in the United States as well as abroad. Prior to coming to Oak Hills, Jackie taught in the Three Rivers Local School District and coached at Mount Notre Dame High School.

Throughout her 22 year coaching career, Jackie has been named Coach of the Year multiple times in both the GMC and GGCL. Her honors also include Southwest Ohio Coach of the Year, Cincinnati Reds High School Softball Coach of the Year, and Cincinnati Enquirer Coach of the Year. In the spring of 2024, Jackie surpassed her 300th career win, and she is now closing in on an incredible milestone—her 400th career victory.

Jackie is the owner of D1 Catching Academy, where she trains catchers from across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. She also coaches for the Ohio Lasers organization throughout the summer.

Jackie is a Cleveland State University alumna, where she was a First Team All-Horizon League selection and earned All-Tournament Team honors during her collegiate softball career. She graduated from Cleveland State in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and later earned her master’s degree, along with 30 additional graduate hours, from the University of New England.

A 2012 Oak Hills Hall of Fame inductee, Jackie is a 2001 graduate of Oak Hills High School, where she was a three-sport GMC standout and varsity letter winner in volleyball, basketball, and softball.

Jackie has two children, Kameron and Kennedy, who are both active within the community. Jackie and her family reside in Bridgetown.

Nick Continenza graduated from the University of Akron in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in education, qualifying him to teach high school science. While at Akron, he competed as a decathlete on the track & field team, earning All-Mid-American Conference honors four times.

Coach Continenza began his track & field coaching career in 2006 and his cross country coaching career in 2010. Prior to joining Oak Hills, he coached at Chardon High School and Cleveland Heights High School. He joined the Highlanders in 2015 and currently serves as the Head Boys Track & Field Coach.

As a member of the track & field staff, Coach Continenza works primarily with the sprinters, hurdlers, relay teams, and jumpers. His favorite track event is the 4x400-meter relay, while his favorite field event is the pole vault.

With more than 20 years of track & field coaching experience and over a decade at Oak Hills, Coach Continenza continues to provide leadership, knowledge, and experience to the Highlander Track & Field program.

Shellie Hageman has served as the Head Girls Cross Country Coach at Oak Hills High School since 2000 and is entering her fifth year as the Head Girls Track & Field Coach. Prior to becoming head coach of the track & field program, she spent eight years as an assistant coach.

Throughout her coaching career, Coach Hageman has helped develop numerous successful student-athletes and teams. Her accomplishments include coaching a two-time individual state champion, leading a team to a sixth-place finish at the state championships, and capturing two league championships, two district championships, and a regional championship.

Coach Hageman and her husband, Ben, also founded the OHYA Track & Field program in the Oak Hills Local School District. The program provides opportunities for students in grades K–6 to learn, develop, and compete in track & field while helping build a strong foundation for the future of the Highlander program.

A proud Oak Hills High School alumna, Coach Hageman was inducted into the Oak Hills Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013. She continued her athletic career at the University of Cincinnati, where she competed in both cross country and track & field.

Outside of coaching, Coach Hageman serves as a Physical Education teacher at Springmyer Elementary School. She previously spent 14 years as a Special Education teacher. Coach Hageman lives in the Oak Hills community with her husband, Ben, and their three daughters, Julia, Annabelle, and Josie Bea.

Maria Fraulini is the Boys Varsity and Girls JV Tennis Coach at Oak Hills. With five years of coaching experience and seven years of teaching Spanish at Delhi Middle School, she is passionate about helping students grow both on and off the court. Maria also leads Oak Hills High School’s Spanish travel program, creating meaningful cultural experiences for students each summer. She strives to build strong connections with her student athletes and foster an environment where they feel empowered to grow academically, personally, and athletically.