All-Ohio Honors Mark Historic Milestone for Freshman McKenzie Gladman

Grandview Heights — History preserves the moments that define our past, helping us remember, celebrate, and grow. Freshman McKenzie Gladman, just four months into her role as Lady Bobcat, is already making an impact and building her legacy at Grandview Heights.

Gladman has shattered barriers in the Grandview Heights girls soccer program, becoming the first freshman in program history to earn All-Ohio honors. This fall, competing in Division V, she achieved this distinction as one of only three goalkeepers selected statewide in her division, making her accomplishment not just groundbreaking but exceptionally rare.

Reflecting on her achievement, Gladman admitted she was as surprised as anyone. “I was pretty excited when I found out. At the start of the season, I didn’t even think it was a possibility,” she said. “I really couldn’t have done it without the ten girls standing in front of me. This motivates me to keep working hard, and I hope to stay this passionate about the sport.”

In goal, Gladman was a steadfast force for Grandview Heights, standing tall like a brick wall. She played a pivotal role in leading the Lady Bobcats to within one game of a state berth, guiding them through the tough terrain of a competitive Central Buckeye Conference. Whether backed by ten goals or one goal, Gladman’s presence in the net was unwavering.

Her resilience was especially evident during the state playoffs, where she battled through an injury that threatened to derail her stellar freshman season. “I injured my back going into the tournament and wasn’t allowed to practice much,” she shared. “I was worried I would let my team down. I went to physical therapy to start recovering and used a TENS machine at halftime so I could try to play my best.”

Despite her injury, Gladman allowed just four goals across five playoff games. The Lady Bobcats avenged a regular-season loss to Fairbanks, completed a season sweep of Columbus School for Girls, and defeated Bishop Rosecrans on their playoff journey. Their remarkable season concluded with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Minford, a bittersweet ending to an otherwise extraordinary run for the Lady Bobcats.

Following her historic freshman season, Gladman is more determined than ever to pursue her soccer ambitions. “One of my future goals is to play in college, and I plan on putting in a lot of work to make it happen,” she said. “Being part of this team helped me become more confident and gave me a great opportunity to improve on the field. This was the perfect way to start my freshman year.”