Northern Lakes Conference of Indiana

The Northern Lakes Conference of Indiana (NLC) is an IHSAA-sanctioned athletic conference of high schools located within Elkhart, Kosciusko and Marshall counties in Indiana, United States.

The Northern Lakes Conference within Indiana

History

To deal with the reorganization and consolidation of high schools across Northern Indiana, an organizational meeting for the formation of the Northern Lakes Conference was held on February 3, 1963. Charter members of the NLC were the high schools of Bremen, Manchester, Nappanee, Plymouth, Rochester and Warsaw. The conference began competition in 1964–65 in Boys’ Baseball, Football, Basketball and Track. In 1965, Boys’ Tennis and Golf were added; Cross-Country was added in 1966; and Wrestling became a conference sport in 1968. The conference was “intended to provide good, clean competition and fellowship for the boys, the coaches, and the school bodies of the Northern Lakes region.”

Concord High School joined the NLC in 1967 and Wawasee High School joined in 1968. By 1970, all schools participated in all eight boys’ sports.

In the 1970s Girls’ sports were added. Conference competition began in 1976–77 in Basketball, Tennis, Track and Volleyball. In 1980 Swimming was added; Cross-Country was added in 1986, Softball in 1987; Golf in 1994; and Soccer in 1997.

Additional sports added to NLC Boys’ competition included Swimming in 1980 and Soccer in 1994.

Membership in the Northern Lakes Conference has fluctuated between six and eight schools throughout conference history. In 1976, Manchester changed conferences. 1987 and 1989, Rochester and Bremen withdrew memberships to begin competition with schools of lesser size and less travel than those of the NLC membership. Additions to the Northern Lakes Conference were Goshen in 1976 and Northridge in 1987. Elkhart Memorial begian competition in winter sports in 2000 and all other sports in 2001–02.

The Northern Lakes Conference is recognized as one of the athletic conferences in the state of Indiana. Competitions at the state level include NLC student athletes in most every sport. The NLC started offering a formal coaching education course in 1991. NLC principals and athletic directors are regularly seated in governing bodies for athletic administration at the state level.

On March 7, 2018, the Northern Lakes Conference announced that Elkhart Memorial High School will cease to be a member of the conference at the conclusion of the 2019- 2020 school year. In the fall of 2020, Elkhart Memorial and Elkhart Central high schools will consolidate forming one Elkhart High School. The new school will retain Elkhart Central's position in the Northern Indiana Conference.

The conference announced it will be accepting applications for membership through May 15, 2018. The NLC announced in July 2018 that Mishawaka High School will join for the 2020-21 school year, leaving the NIC.[1]

Basketball

The NLC has a rich basketball history, producing NBA stars like Scott Skiles, Rick Fox, and Shawn Kemp. On February 11, 2017, the Warsaw Tigers made league history by becoming the first team to win the conference in three consecutive years while going undefeated (21-0) during that span.[2]

Membership
School Location Mascot Colors County Size IHSAA
Class		 Year Joined Previous Conference
Concord Elkhart Minutemen           20
Elkhart		 1,657 5A 1967 Elkhart County
Elkhart
Memorial1		 Elkhart Crimson Chargers           20
Elkhart		 1,567 5A 1999 Northern Indiana
Goshen Goshen RedHawks2           20
Elkhart		 1,923 5A 1976 Independents
(NIC 1969)
Northridge Middlebury Raiders           20
Elkhart		 1,397 4A 1987 Independents
(new school 1969)
NorthWood Nappanee Panthers           20
Elkhart		 901 4A 1969 none (new school)
Plymouth Plymouth Rockies / Pilgrims           50
Marshall		 1,097 4A 1963 Central Indiana
Warsaw
Community		 Warsaw Tigers           43
Kosciusko		 2,103 6A 1963 Central Indiana
Wawasee Syracuse Warriors           43
Kosciusko		 939 4A 1968 none (new school)
  1. Elkhart Memorial played in both the NIC and NLC from 1999 to 2001. School will closes after 2019-20 school year.
  2. Mascot was Redskins until 2016.

Future Member
School Location Mascot Colors County Size IHSAA
Class		 Year Joining Previous Conference
Mishawaka Mishawaka Cavemen           71
St. Joseph		 1,477 5A 2020 Northern Indiana

Former members
School Location Mascot Colors County Years Joined Previous Conference Year Left Conference Joined
Bremen1 Bremen Lions           50
Marshall		 1963 Marshall County 1989 Northern State
Manchester North Manchester Squires                85
Wabash		 1963 Independents
(WCC 1962)		 1976 Three Rivers
Nappanee Nappanee Bulldogs           20
Elkhart		 1963 Elkhart County 1969 none (consolidated
into NorthWood)
Rochester Rochester Zebras                25
Fulton		 1963 Central Indiana 1987 Three Rivers Conference
  1. Played concurrently in NLC and MCC 1963-66.

Conference Championships

Football
#TeamSeasons
15Plymouth1966, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973*, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978*, 2005, 2007*, 2008, 2009, 2012*, 2014
14NorthWood1974, 1980*, 1984*, 1985*, 1991*, 1992*, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999*, 2004*, 2007*, 2016
12Concord1979, 1983, 1984*, 1991*, 2004*, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012*, 2013, 2015
9Goshen1978*, 1980*, 1981*, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992*, 1997, 1998, 2002
9Warsaw1964, 1967, 1973*, 1982, 1990, 1992*, 1999*, 2000, 2001
3Wawassee1973*, 1986, 2004*
2Bremen1965, 1970
1Northridge2017
1Elkhart Memorial2003
1Rochester1969
0Manchester
0Nappanee

Boys Basketball
#TeamSeasons
26Warsaw1965, 1966*, 1967, 1969, 1972*, 1976, 1979*, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994,
1995, 1996*, 1997*, 1999, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018*
17Plymouth1968*, 1970, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983*, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1996*, 1997*, 1998*, 2001,
2007*, 2008
5Rochester1966*, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1979*
4Northridge1996*, 2009, 2014, 2018*
4NorthWood1972*, 1998*, 2000, 2007*
3Elkhart Memorial2002, 2006, 2012
2Concord2005, 2013
2Wawassee1983*, 1983
1Goshen2003
1Manchester1968*
0Bremen
0Nappanee

Girls Basketball
#TeamSeasons
14Warsaw1984, 1987*, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2013
8Northridge1997, 1998, 2006, 2007, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018
5Plymouth1992, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2009*
4Elkhart Memorial2008, 2009*, 2011, 2012
4Goshen1980, 1981, 1982, 1987*
3Wawassee1995, 1996, 2009*
2Concord1983, 1985
2NorthWood1977, 2015
2Rochester1978, 1979
1Bremen1986

State Championships

Concord (3)
  • 1964 Boys Gymnastics
  • 1965 Boys Gymnastics
  • 1966 Boys Gymnastics

Elkhart Memorial (0)

Goshen (3)
  • 1978 Football (2A)
  • 1988 Football (4A)
  • 2014 Soccer (2A)

Northridge (2)
  • 1988 Softball
  • 2004 Boys Cross Country

NorthWood (3)
  • 1999 Girls Basketball (3A)
  • 2005 Football (3A)
  • 2020 Girls Basketball (3A)

Plymouth (4)
  • 1977 Football (2A)
  • 1982 Boys Basketball
  • 2007 Boys Basketball (3A)
  • 2008 Girls Basketball (3A)

Warsaw (5)
  • 1976 Girls Basketball
  • 1978 Girls Basketball
  • 1984 Boys Basketball
  • 1991 Softball
  • 2005 Boys Golf

Wawasee (1)
  • 1976 Girls Track & Field
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References
  1. Ray, Olivia (2018-07-11). "Mishawaka High School to join the Northern Lakes Conference 2020-21". WSBT 22 (South Bend, IN). Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  2. http://www.inkfreenews.com/2017/02/11/warsaw-basketball-three-peat-of-perfection-for-tigers/
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