Welcome, Lady Panthers basketball fans!

Every new season comes with hope for what could be. That hope is far more meaningful when you can see that a team’s journey — and one of its coach’s greatest privileges — is truly about learning, growth and achievement. 

Even more rewarding is witnessing kids’ journeys into adulthood. It’s fun to approach each season with anticipation not only for what can happen, but also imagination for how these young women will succeed in life. It’s one of a coach’s greatest gifts, and I am truly humbled by the blessing of coaching young people.

Coming off an incredible year, culminating in a state championship, our kids achieved what we call “Herstory.” It’s an amazing feeling when your winning season ends with a collective reflection on hard work, sacrifice, perseverance and quite often … luck.

Although not every season ends in a state championship, our team’s optimism drives momentum for the opportunity to be meaningful in March. While that reward is always a celebration, the real victory is in celebrating the journey.

As an old coach, my lens is very different than when I started 18 seasons ago at South. Today’s view is about embracing the numerous ways a season can make its own lifelong memories.

Since we cut down the Chiles Center’s nets last March, the off season has been filled with changes and growth. Our girls spent the summer playing at elite college viewing events and matching up with the nation’s best programs. We’ve always believed the off season is where the greatest player development occurs, and we’re encouraged by the progress.

With seven varsity returners, and the addition of some new faces, our team promises plenty of experience and depth. Returning team captain Sara Schmerbach, a 2024 All State player, has signed to play next year at Division I Santa Clara University. She is the last of the Schmerbach sisters who left a legacy at South Medford High School. Both were state champions in ’20 and ’21, with Sara winning her own championship in ’23.

Joining Sara in the 2025 class is senior Maddy Warberg, another future Division I basketball player who moved to South Medford this summer from the Eugene area. She too will be joining Santa Clara next year and brings another senior presence to this year’s Lady Panthers.

Joining our seniors will be a very solid core of juniors led by state rebounding record holder Mayen Akpan who, along with Dyllyn Howell, garnered numerous Division I scholarship offers since last season. In addition, classmates Jordan Barlow, Elise Richardson and Malia Tualani all played significant roles last season, and it’s been fun to watch this entire group work hard and get better. Each of these young ladies is poised to be a difference maker.

Our sophomore class features Payton Anderson who, like our juniors, continues to work hard and show promise for this to come. She is joined this season by newcomer Taryn Vasey. Rounding out the team will be Citrine Vijay, our lone frosh whose fresh face matches her boundless energy.

Maybe most exciting for me this season is the return, this time to the sidelines, of Yaremi Mejia, Lady Panthers assistant coach. Yaremi helped win our first state championship in 2012 as an all-state point guard, leading us to a perfect 30-0 season and then returned as an assistant coach to help us win our undefeated 2021 state championship before moving on to coach at the collegiate level in New Mexico. She’s back, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

This season promises some great pre-conference contests, including some of the top events on the West Coast: the Capitol City Showcase, Nike POA Holiday Classic and Nike Sabrina Ionescu Classic. Adding these tough, out-of-league matchups to a formidable SWC schedule — last year representing the top league in the state — is certain to provide great competitive challenges for growth. 

In closing, I want to say thank you to all the former players, parents, fans and supporters of our Lady Panthers basketball program who collectively make our program so special. It’s a proud history that I am honored by. I am grateful to all those who have helped in countless ways to make our South Medford Lady Panthers basketball a tradition of success.