As much as he’s prone to exhibit…St. Henry’s Nate Uhlenhake lets loose following the Redskins’ Division VI title win over Canton Central Catholic.
There was no self-promoting over the quality of the hand he held throughout the season, while at the same time being ranked #1 in Division VI. And in the end, St. Henry’s Nate Uhlenhake chose to let his team prove their own qualities by winning the school’s first-ever OHSAA title in girls basketball.
St. Henry girls basketball coach Nate Uhlenhake is not the chattiest interview in Ohio girls basketball.
He’s not one to blow his own horn.
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He’s not one to lean on legacy, or the past accomplishments of football, volleyball, baseball, and boys basketball.
And he’s hardly one to concern himself with doubters and cynics.
He’s simply one who believes in the here and now, the day to day with his own team, and that their work ethic, their faith in each other, and the Divine will of things is enough to overcome anything that others question.
And when his faith in what he was doing – and his girls – paid off with the Division VI state championship in girls basketball earlier this month, he earned our recognition as the 2026 area girls Coach of The Year as covered by Press Pros.
At 27-1, he compiled the best-ever record for a St. Henry girls team, overcoming the questions of those who from December through March pointed out that he was winning without a single player that would appear on the final OHSAA All-Ohio teams…first, second, and third. Senior guard Morgan Baumer, and All-MAC honoree, was listed as ‘special’ mention in those OHSAA selections.
And while being ranked #1 in Division VII for much of the season, in the final selection he was snubbed on the OHSAA Coach of The Year selections. That went to Bill Mitchin, at Jownstown Northridge, and Stefanie Landis, at Newton High School.
None of it offended, or even bothered Uhlenhake, who week after week called attention to his girls, their qualities, their belief and regard for each other…and the unwavering support of the St. Henry community.
Their lone loss came at Parkway, in early February, on a night during the height of cold and flu season – on a night when the Redskins shot the ball like they had a cold, or the flu.
That didn’t bother him, either. He chose to credit Parkway, rather than question his own players. And his faith was rewarded by winning the final ten games of the season, including a sweep through the Division, Regional, and an unlikely besting of the state’s #2 and #8 teams in the Division VI State Tournament Finals at the Nutter Center.
Unlikely because in the regional round of the tournament senior point guard Morgan Baumer was lost do to a knee injury.
And in the state semi-final round senior center Molly Wendel was lost due to a concussion sustained when she became entangled with a Harvest Prep player over a rebound and fell heavily to the floor. She was lost for the remainder of the game and the tournament.
And yet, St. Henry came back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter of that game to beat #3 Harvest Prep, 55-51, then return twenty four hours later to abolish #8-ranked Canton Central Catholic by twenty points, after leading 45-18 after three quarters.
“Credit to St. Henry,” said CCC coach Tim Vandervaart. “They’ve still got athletes everywhere, even after losing two of their best. Everybody’s mobile, everybody’s fast, and quick, and moves. They did to us what we did to other teams. They’re easily the best team we’ve seen all year.”
And yet, because of Uhlenhake’s willingness not to promote himself, the public outside of Mercer, Darke, Auglaize, and Logan counties hardly knew about them, even at 27-1. He put ‘player speak’ ahead of ‘coach speak’, helping cement a bond within his team that helped them beyond obstacles that derails the dreams of others.
“I’m so proud of these girls for having the courage to display that,” he said. “That doesn’t happen all the time.”
It’s a great story, coupled with a phenomenal year, and an coaching example that few could emulate, let alone imitate.
And still, when it was over, Uhlenhake had little to say, only that his faith in what he believed himself, and what his girls believed through their performance…was enough.
And enough for us as we proudly recognize Nate as our Press Pros 2026 Area Coach of The Year in girls basketball.
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