Hall of Fame
Don Edwards enters his 31st season as Northwest's head women's basketball coach entering the 2017-18 season and has been a part of the staff for the last 34 years, starting in 1983 as an assistant under the late Harry Adair.
During his tenure as head coach, Edwards has led the Lady Rangers to 17 NJCAA Region XXIII and three NJCAA National Tournament Appearances, as well as a pair of MACJC championships in 1995 and 1996. His career record at Northwest stands at 447-310 (.590), posting 22 winning seasons overall and four seasons with 20 or more wins.
With all his success, Edwards has received numerous Coach of the Year recognitions. He was named Region XXIII and District 16 Coach of the Year in 1990, 1996, 1998 and 2005, MACJC Coach of the Year in 1989 and 1990 and was MAC Women's Basketball Coach of the Year in 1990, 1995 and 1996.
Edwards led the Lady Rangers to a 16-6 overall mark and a 9-3 record in the north division two years ago. The Lady Rangers advanced to the MACJC and Region XXIII Tournaments, falling in the first round to Copiah-Lincoln. After a 6-0 start to the season, Northwest earned its first national ranking since 1999-2000 at 25th in the NJCAA.
Edwards led the Lady Rangers to a fifth north division crown during the 2012-13 season, finishing with an 18-7 overall record and 9-3 mark in the division. The 18 wins was the most for Northwest in eight seasons.
Since 2004-05, a total of 28 Lady Rangers have gone on to play at four-year schools, including Destiny Gardner(North Alabama), Averyale Joy (Freed-Hardeman), Janesha Johnson (University of Charleston), Aspriona Gilbert (Delta State), Jacquelyn Brooks (Delta State), Bethany Lytle (Union University) and Sara Lytle (Union University) from the past three seasons.
Not only have the Lady Rangers performed on the court, but they have done it off the court as well. Northwest posted a 3.15 team GPA last season and 3.20 GPA during the 2015-16 academic year to be recognized as an All-Academic team by both the MACJC and NJCAA.
Edwards also served as the head men's golf coach for 23 seasons at Northwest, being named the MACJC Coach of the Year twice, and sending at least one golfer to compete in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in 11 of his final 17 seasons.
Edwards came to Northwest from West Panola Academy at Batesville where he served as the boys' and girls' basketball coach, golf coach and athletic director for eight years. Named Coach of the Year a total of six times, he coached in two academy All-Star games.
His record as a high school coach stands at 246-56 for girls and 162-82 for boys. Edwards' girls' teams finished in the top four in the state for six years, capturing the championship three times. Before arriving at West Panola Academy, Edwards worked at Quitman County High School where he was athletic director, basketball and football coach and driver's education instructor.
After attending Northwest for two years, Edwards transferred to Delta State University where he earned a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1973. He also holds an M.Ed. in administration and supervision from Delta State University.
