Michelle Harter doesn't need a history lesson in Lady Tiger Basketball.
Having spent 17 years as the junior varsity coach, and now in her second season as the varsity coach, Harter is well aware of the program's rich tradition.Harter isn't shy about what she wants from this season's edition of the orange and black, and she wants the program to return to its glory days - a time when winning conference and sectional championships was the norm.
"My goal is to win 15 or more games, I think that's very doable for this team" said Harter, whose Lady Tigers were 13-8 overall last season and 4-3 in the Northern Lakes Conference. "Winning the conference will be tough with Elkhart Memorial and NorthWood, but that's our goal. And we want to win the sectional championship, that's the direction we want to go in. I wanna put Lady Tiger Basketball back on the map. I think this team has the mental toughness, heart and talent to do that."
Warsaw, which opens the season tonight at Huntington North, returns four starters from last year's team.
In Harter's first season as varsity coach, the Lady Tigers won more games than they did in any of the previous three seasons.
The pieces are in place to have even more success this season.
"We have a lot of experience coming back, that's a big positive for us," said Harter. "The girls have a year in my system and they know what I expect from them. Our experience is going to be a big positive for us. I haven't had to break things down, the girls know what is expected of them. I'm really looking forward to this season."
Warsaw's 13-person varsity roster is comprised of eight seniors, two juniors, two sophomores and a freshman.
Headlining the list of returners is senior Kelci Freds, who led the Lady Tigers in scoring last season with 13 points per game. She also averaged four rebounds, three assists and two steals per game.
Other returning starters include junior frontliner Kayla Stout (11 pts, 5 rebs), senior post player Sarah Shilling (8 pts, 5 rebs) and senior point guard Cendall Ogle (2 pts, 2 rebs, 2 assts).
Harter said the fifth starter will likely be senior KaeLee Sands, who played in all 21 games last season, averaging four points and two rebounds per contest.
Other seniors on this year's team include Kaitlin Reichard, Danielle Tat and twins Amber and Beth Plummer.
Also on the varsity team are junior Tiffany Tat, sophomores Creigh Ogle and Ryesha Jackson, and freshman Lindsay Baker.
Looking up and down the Lady Tigers' varsity roster, not only are they blessed with experience, but also height.
Shilling is listed at 6-foot-2, while Stout is 6-0, Baker 5-11 and Jackson 5-10.
That height should help Warsaw outrebound its opponents, as well as make for a balanced inside-outside game.
The Lady Tigers averaged 28 rebounds per game last season.
Following tonight's game at Huntington North, Warsaw plays at Tippecanoe Valley Friday, hosts Whitko Nov. 27, hosts Fort Wayne Northrop Dec. 2, and plays at Bishop Luers Dec. 8.
The Lady Tigers open NLC play Dec. 12 at rival Plymouth.
"Elkhart Memorial and NorthWood are always very good," Harter said when asked about the NLC. "Plymouth is very good year in and year out, and we have to play them over there. Wawasee lost six seniors, but we have to play there, and it's not always easy to play over there. They play tough at home. Northridge's program is really getting better. The NLC is always tough. We have to be ready for a big test every night."
The Lady Tigers' experience could go a long way in them passing those tests.
