NAPPANEE – A familiar face will become the new face of the NorthWood High School girls basketball program in 2014.

Adam Yoder, who has spent the last three seasons at the junior varsity coach for the Panthers, has been approved as the successor to Steve Neff.

Neff, who retired from teaching in February, announced that the 2013-14 season will be his final one in charge of the ultra-successful NorthWood girls program.

Yoder, a 1998 Bremen High School grad, will take over the varsity team starting in 2014. He has spent the last five seasons at NorthWood, the last three as JV coach and the two prior to that as the girls freshman coach.

Yoder spent from 1999-2004 as a coach in various roles for the Bremen boys basketball program. His uncle Steve coached at both Plymouth and Penn before moving on to Ball State and Wisconsin.

Neff is 634-175 in his 36 seasons on the NorthWood bench. He is tied with Donna Cheatham of Scottsburg for most coaching wins all-time among girls coaches. Neff’s resume includes the Class 3-A state championship in 1999.

The Panthers have won 23 sectional titles under Neff, including this past season when they finished 22-4.