2025-26 Basketball Preview: Fairfield Lady Lions

Fairfield Lady Lions basketball returns to the court for the 2025-26 season, looking to build on where they left off a season again with a good number of starters and lettermen returning to the program to improve on their accomplishments from a season ago.

The Lady Lions are coached by Jennifer Blue, who is entering her third season as Fairfield’s head coach. 

Last season, the Lady Lions finished 5-8 in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference, and overall their record was 7-16. FHS averaged 41.4 points per game in SHAC games and allowed 42.9 ppg. Overall, the Lady Lions averaged 39.9 ppg and allowed 44.4 ppg.  

Seniors for the Lady Lions are Rilee Quickle and Jaeden Drury.

In 21 games last season, Quickle averaged 10.0 ppg with 3.4 rebounds per game and 2.1 assists per game. She also averaged 2.7 steals per game, totaling 210 points, 72 rebounds, 44 assists, 57 steals and she had four blocks. 

Quickle was an All-SHAC selection, was named to the Coaches All-District second team and was an OPSMA All-District third-team honoree for her junior season. 

“We are looking at Rilee to be a leader for us on the floor. She has grown the past two seasons and was our leading scorer last year, and we would like for her to step that role up,” Blue said. 

The juniors class consists of Isabelle Hale, Vivian Henninger and Meri Jackson.

Jackson during the ’24-25 season (18 games) averaged 8.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg, with totals of 146 points, 139 rebounds and 17 steals. She was named to the Coaches All-District third team and was special mention OPSMA All-District a season ago.

Henninger totaled 5.0 ppg, 6.3 ppg, 1.1 apg and 1.7 spg. Her season totals were 106 points, 133 rebounds, 24 assists and 36 steals. Henninger was honorable mention Coaches All-District last season.

Hale last season averaged 6.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.5 apg and 2.5 spg. Hale’s totals were 128 points, 74 rebounds, 29 assists and 49 steals. 

“Meri is our inside force, and she has been working on becoming more dominant in that area. Vivian is an athlete, and we believe she has taken her game to another level this offseason and look forward to watching what she’s going to be able to accomplish,” Blue said. “Isabelle is learning to see her drive, and she has a beautiful outside shot.”

Sophomores for Fairfield are Paisley Stahlhut and Addison Cannon. 

Stahlhut averaged 2.8 ppg and 1.5 rpg in 19 games last season, while Cannon averaged 2.4 ppg and 2.5 rpg, also in 19 games. 

“We have four starters returning from last year (Rilee Quickle, Isabelle Hale, Meri Jackson and Vivian Henninger), and we have a total of seven returning letter winners (Jaeden Drury, Addison Cannon, Paisley Stahlhut),” Blue said.

The freshman class consists of Kaylynn Ault, Landyn Hodson, Brya Fauber, Allyson George, Corinne Tolle and Ruby Henninger. 

Assistant coaches for Fairfield are Paige Greiner and Codey Juillerat. 

Fairfield this offseason put in the work needed to show the improvement they want on the court, including having a summer league and attending camps. 

“We had a good summer. We went to two different camps and had a summer league,” Blue said. “The girls put in a lot of work over the summer. For the preseason right now, we are getting a late start due to the girls wonderful season in soccer. We are trying to put a lot in, in a little bit of time.

“The girls are working hard and coming together as a group. Our motto is ‘family,’ and we are working on that on and off the court. We have had a good team outing and just finished a military boot camp day. I love the effort the girls are putting on the court.”

That said, Coach Blue said there are still improvements the team is working on heading into the season. 

“We need to get better on boxing out, communication and spacing on the court,” she said. “We are going to be a more athletic team than we have been in the past. We are working at a quicker pace and style of game while utilizing our strengths.”

The Lady Lions play in the Division II of the SHAC, where the champion last season was Fayetteville, followed by Whiteoak, Ripley, Fairfield and Manchester.

“The SHAC is going to be very balanced this year. Every night, we are going to have to be ready to play and put together things on the offensive and defensive ends of the ball,” Blue said. 

The non-conference schedule for the Lady Lions will include the following games: vs. Adena, at Clinton-Massie, vs. Blanchester, vs. Lakewood (River City Classic at Marietta College), vs. East Clinton (Chad Hodson Classic), vs. Bethel-Tate, vs. Washington, vs. Paint Valley and at McClain.

“We have a competitive non-league schedule, highlighted by a trip to Marietta College to compete in an event down there against Lakewood, then back home we have Greenfield McClain and Washington C.H.,” Blue said. “The expectation is to be better today than we were yesterday and even better in the fourth quarter compared to the first quarter. We want to improve our overall record from last year and just keep building what it means to be a Lady Lion.”

Fairfield begins the 2025-26 season on Friday, Nov. 21 at home in a non-conference game against the Adena Lady Warriors. 

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