Lakeland Community College Women's Basketball

Ornette Gardenhire enters his fifth season as head coach for the Lakeland Community College women's basketball team and his 12th season coaching at Lakeland.  In Gardenhire's first season as head coach, the Lakers finished with a 5-19 record in a challenging season. Last year, Lakeland women's basketball improved under  Gardenhire and finished with a 16-10 overall record. The Lakers won a Region XII District I quarterfinal game against Cuyahoga Community College in 2017-18 to  earn a trip to the semifinals in Circleville, Ohio. He has finished as District runner-up 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 season. The program set a school record with 22 y consecutive victories in 2019-2020 season. Gardenhire was an assistant coach with the Lakeland mens basketball program for seven years. Since his arrival, the Lakers have increased their win total each  season and have won a pair of Region 12, District 11 championships for the first time in school history.  In Gardenhires third season, Lakeland earned the programs first district title and NJCAA Division II National Tournament appearance, ultimately finishing eighth. Last  year, Gardenhire helped the Lakers repeat as district champions and advance to the Final Four before falling to eventual national champion Mott Community College  in the national semifinals. In 2015, the Lakers finished fourth in the country. During his tenure as the assistant coach the Lakeland basketball program has had  national finishes of fourth, fifth and eighth place. No stranger to NJCAA mens basketball or the national tournament, Gardenhire was an assistant at nearby Cuyahoga in 2003-04 hen the Challengers won a national  championship. He helped Cuyahoga repeat as district champions one year later and advance to the NJCAA Final Four. Gardenhire assumed head coaching  responsibilities for the 2007-08 season, guiding his team to a 21-9 overall record and 12-4 mark in OCCAC competition. The following season he transitioned to  Lakeland to work alongside head coach Terry Bowe. Gardenhire was a four-year college starter, playing two years at Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Before playing his final two seasons at Bloomfield  College in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Ornette Gardenhire has earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Bloomfield College. He also holds a MBA in Sports  Management from Tiffin University. He resides in neighboring suburb. [Facebook](https://athletics.lakelandcc.edu/sports/wbkb/coaches/Ornette_Gardenhireview=bio#)  [Twitter](https://athletics.lakelandcc.edu/sports/wbkb/coaches/Ornette_Gardenhireview=bio#)  [Email](https://athletics.lakelandcc.edu/sports/wbkb/coaches/Ornette_Gardenhireview=bio#)  [Print](http://lakelandcc.prestosports.com/sports/wbkb/coaches/Ornette_Gardenhiredec=printer-decorator)  [Addthis](https://athletics.lakelandcc.edu/sports/wbkb/coaches/Ornette_Gardenhireview=bio#)