Northern Lakes Conference of Indiana

The Northern Lakes Conference within 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.

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.

Membership

School Location Mascot Colors Size IHSAA
Class		 County Year Joined Previous Conference
Concord Elkhart Minutemen           1,523 5A 20
Elkhart		 1967 Independents
Elkhart
Memorial*		 Elkhart Crimson Chargers           1,793 5A 20
Elkhart		 1999 Northern Indiana
Goshen Goshen RedHawks           1,811 5A 20
Elkhart		 1976 Independents
Northridge Middlebury Raiders           1,291 4A 20
Elkhart		 1987 Independents
NorthWood Nappanee Panthers           853 4A 20
Elkhart		 1969 none (new school)
Plymouth Plymouth Rockies / Pilgrims           1,112 4A 50
Marshall		 1963 Central Indiana
Warsaw
Community		 Warsaw Tigers           2,077 6A 43
Kosciusko		 1963 Central Indiana
Wawasee Syracuse Warriors           933 4A 43
Kosciusko		 1968 none (new school)

Former Members

School Location Mascot Colors County Years Joined Previous Conference Year Left Conference Joined
Bremen Bremen Lions           50
Marshall		 1963 Independents 1989 Northern State
Manchester North Manchester Spartans                85
Wabash		 1963 Independents 1976 Three Rivers
Nappanee Nappanee Bulldogs           20
Elkhart		 1963 Independents 1969 none (consolidated
into NorthWood)
Rochester Rochester Zebras                25
Fulton		 1963 Central Indiana 1987 Three Rivers Conference

Conference Championships

Football

# Team Seasons
14 Plymouth 1966, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973*, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978*, 2005, 2007*, 2008, 2009, 2012*
13 NorthWood 1974, 1980*, 1984*, 1985*, 1991*, 1992*, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999*, 2004*, 2007*
11 Concord 1979, 1983, 1984*, 1991*, 2004*, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012*, 2013
9 Goshen 1978*, 1980*, 1981*, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992*, 1997, 1998, 2002
9 Warsaw 1964, 1967, 1973*, 1982, 1990, 1992*, 1999*, 2000, 2001
3 Wawassee 1973*, 1986, 2004*
2 Bremen 1965, 1970
1 Northridge 2014
1 Elkhart Memorial 2003
1 Rochester 1969
0 Manchester
0 Nappanee

Boys Basketball

# Team Seasons
22 Warsaw 1965, 1966*, 1967, 1969, 1972*, 1976, 1979*, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994,
1995, 1996*, 1997*, 1999, 2004, 2010, 2011
17 Plymouth 1968*, 1970, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983*, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1996*, 1997*, 1998*, 2001,
2007*, 2008
5 Rochester 1966*, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1979*
4 NorthWood 1972*, 1998*, 2000, 2007*
3 Elkhart Memorial 2002, 2006, 2012
3 Northridge 1996*, 2009, 2014
2 Concord 2005, 2013
2 Wawassee 1983*, 1983
1 Goshen 2003
1 Manchester 1968*
0 Bremen
0 Nappanee

Girls Basketball

# Team Seasons
14 Warsaw 1984, 1987*, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2013
5 Northridge 1997, 1998, 2006, 2007, 2014
5 Plymouth 1992, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2009*
4 Elkhart Memorial 2008, 2009*, 2011, 2012
4 Goshen 1980, 1981, 1982, 1987*
3 Wawassee 1995, 1996, 2009*
2 Concord 1983, 1985
2 Rochester 1978, 1979
1 Bremen 1986
1 NorthWood 1977

State Championships

Concord (3)

Goshen (3)

Northridge (2)

NorthWood (2)

Plymouth (4)

Warsaw (5)

Wawasee (1)

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