On Sept. 29, the Ross volleyball team hosted Talawanda for its third annual cancer awareness game. Many schools plan themed nights to raise awareness for various diseases, but this night holds extra significance for coaches Conner and Dylan Robinson, who both battled Hodgkin's lymphoma within the past six years.
"It means a lot to both of us to take part in something that has impacted us in both of our lives and show other people no matter what battle they face, we are proof you can end up on the other side of it. We hope to motivate and inspire the girls that they can handle adversity and handle all the tough things life will throw at them," Conner said.
Dylan, who is two years younger, was diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma in December 2020 during
his senior year of high school. Coming off the COVID-19 pandemic, his symptoms were masked by his own bout with the virus. Since his primary care options were mainly virtual appointments, doctors originally diagnosed him with food poisoning.
It was only by Conner's advice that he went to the emergency room to undergo further tests.
"I had just come off COVID and I was like, 'I'm not feeling right.' I remember going to some volleyball workouts and saying, 'I'm gassed. I literally can't jump,'" Dylan said.
Conner's diagnosis of stage 2 lymphoma came in the spring of 2023 during his senior year at Ohio State. After finding a lump on his chest, his cancer was confirmed through a host of scans.
"At that point, it was like, 'No way this is happening again.' It was just so much of a shock because I didn't feel sick. Looking back, I had a couple weird symptoms along with that, but nothing that made me think that I was actually ill to that point," Conner said.
Since Hodgkin's lymphoma is a highly treatable form of cancer, Dylan and Conner's fights both lasted six months as they underwent chemotherapy and radiation. Both turned to volleyball as an emotional outlet.
While Dylan was sidelined for his final year of high school volleyball and his plan of playing in college was derailed, he still spent as much time with his team as possible, even attending road matches when he felt healthy enough to travel. Conner, fresh out of college, took an assistant coaching position at Hamilton.
Both brothers are quick to admit that they're best friends and that they lean on each other in every aspect of life, constantly texting about everything from volleyball to work or sending each other funny TikTok videos. After beating cancer, they teamed up at Ross in 2024.
"We watched some Ross teams growing up when we were in high school and they were always scrappy, always super gritty. When the job opened up, I was like, 'Conner, you definitely need to apply. I think this would be a great opportunity.'" Dylan said.
Despite having a pair of older twin brothers, Conner and Dylan often get mistaken for twins themselves. They grew up together and played at Hamilton (Conner a setter and Dylan a hitter). Their competitiveness has rubbed off on their players.
In the Robinsons' first season in 2024, the Rams started 9-2 but stumbled to a 13-11 final record. Behind Kendall Bosse, who Conner called "probably the best player that's ever walked through these doors," and fellow seniors Brynlee Green and Emma Scheffler, Ross experienced the best season in school history in 2025, winning its first outright Southwestern Buckeye League title and district championship.
This season, Northern Kentucky commit Mya Bosse, Lizzy Long, Sophia Ober and Ellie Distler have led the Rams to a 17-2 record and a share of the SWBL crown thanks to a reverse sweep at Bellbrook Oct. 8. In a region where Ross will compete in the postseason with McNicholas, Tippecanoe, Bellbrook and CHCA, the Robinsons are confident their team can hang another banner.
They also cherish their accomplishments to date, each one a reminder of what they have overcome and a celebration of the program's uprising.
On Oct. 5, Ross celebrated its two seniors, Nora Haenning and Taylor Cain, with a sweep of Monroe. A big part of the team's success is minimal roster turnover, fielding just seven total seniors in the last three years. That trend will change soon as there will be six seniors in 2027, but with a talented batch of youth talent rising up the ranks, there's no reason Ross shouldn't continue to dominate the league.
"Since the start of last year, it's just taken off. I told Conner that the season seems like it's flying by a little bit because they've been succeeding so much that we haven't had much to worry and struggle with. They completely bought in, they're competitive with us. It's been a really fun and awesome three years," Dylan said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ross volleyball inspired by brother coaches who battled cancer
