Snider will enter the 2026-27 season carrying the kind of experience, size and versatility that should place the Panthers among northeast Indiana’s most formidable teams. All five starters return from a group that finished 18-7, placed second in the Summit Athletic Conference with an 8-1 record and advanced to the regional round of the state tournament. Snider reached that point by defeating Northrop 56-46 and Carroll 54-37 to capture a sectional championship.
The centerpiece is 5-foot-11 junior Janaya Cooper, who has already established herself as one of the country’s premier players in the Class of 2028. Cooper averaged 19.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.2 steals, 1.8 assists and 1.4 blocks while shooting 54 percent from the field last season. Rivals lists her as the No. 25 overall prospect, No. 6 small forward and No. 1 player in Indiana in her class.
Cooper’s combination of length, athleticism and skill makes her a factor in nearly every phase of the game. She can score at the rim, create turnovers, rebound outside her position and protect the basket. Her ability to take over was evident during the Snider Holiday Tournament, when she recorded 31 points, five rebounds and four steals against Detroit Mumford before producing 33 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and five blocks in a 73-61 victory over eventual Class 4A state runner up Norwell.
Sophomore center Mackenzie White gives Snider another major building block in the frontcourt. The 6-foot White averaged 10.9 points and a team-leading 7.6 rebounds as a freshman while shooting 65 percent from the field. With White finishing efficiently around the basket and Cooper capable of attacking from several positions, the Panthers possess a difficult interior combination that should continue improving.
The Panthers also have an experienced senior group surrounding their two leading producers. Six-foot guard-forward Izzie Eke averaged nine points and three rebounds, giving Snider another long and interchangeable defender who can contribute offensively. Gracie Smith supplied 6.8 points per game and connected on 38 percent of her 3-point attempts, providing important perimeter spacing around Snider’s size.
Senior point guard Mylee Hurse will again be responsible for organizing the offense and setting the tone defensively. Although she averaged 2.9 points, her greatest value came through her playmaking and pressure on the ball. Hurse led Snider with 2.7 assists per game and totaled 68 assists while also averaging two steals. Her experience should be especially valuable for a team that has several dependable scoring options and does not need its point guard to force offense.
Snider’s depth extends well beyond its returning starting five. Junior guard Mackenzie Carter averaged 7.4 points and 1.4 assists while shooting 38 percent from beyond the arc. Maddie White, a 5-foot-10 junior forward, contributed five points and five rebounds per game while converting 55 percent of her shots, giving the Panthers another productive and efficient option near the basket.
Junior center Jayda Sims adds even more size at 6-foot after averaging 2.2 points and three rebounds, while senior guard Brooklyn Robinson brings additional varsity experience to the perimeter after contributing 2.3 points per game. The arrival of 5-foot-1 junior point guard Dessi Pope, a transfer from Blackhawk Christian, should give Snider another ball handler and allow the Panthers to maintain their pace and defensive pressure when Hurse leaves the floor. Pope averaged 14 points and 6.1 assists last season.
Experience and size are the obvious strengths, but Snider’s versatility may ultimately separate it. Their primary goals will be maintaining team chemistry, staying together through adversity and turning a talented collection of veterans into a consistently connected team, coach Reggie Tharp says. If they accomplish that, the Panthers have the personnel to build upon last season’s sectional championship and make an even deeper postseason run.
The main strength of this years team will be experience and size. We return all five starters and, have a ton of senior leadership,” Tharp said. “We have several girls that have great length and are interchangeable at different positions.”
WHY #3?
Snider is a consistent threat both in their conference and in the north half of the state. After reaching the Regional round last season, their ability to bring back so much of that core with added experience is huge for the Panthers. When one of those returners is one of the nation’s best in the junior class, it is hard to overlook Snider when talking about legit state title contender threats from Northeast Indiana.
CRITICAL GAME – JANUARY 15 vs. HOMESTEAD
We will already know a lot about Snider before January 15 but it will be a massive game anyway to really feel like they could lay claim to the city’s best team. Without Homestead playing for a SAC title this season, this game against Snider may not be a battle for a title, but it could solidify the Panthers’ surge throughout the season, and with it being so late in the season, it is a big chance to build momentum into a postseason run where we may see the Panthers and Spartans battle again.
CRUCIAL PLAYER
Will Dessi Pope’s tremendous play from her first two seasons translate in season at Snider? She was a very strong freshman two years ago at Blackhawk Christian, one of the best in the area. Last season, she showed that she could be in the argument for this area’s best pure point guard while still handling a lot of scoring duties for the Braves. Now at Snider, Pope may not have to shoulder as mich of the load scoring, but her vision and quickness can really help a program that has high level scoring threats for her to get the ball to.
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