JACKSON – At this year's annual Mississippi Association of Colleges and Universities (MAC) Conference, Northwest was recognized with the John C. and Ernestine McCall Halbrook Improvement Award.
The conference was held on Oct. 4-5 at Millsaps College in Jackson.
The Halbrook Award is a cash award presented to the single college or university that has shown the greatest increase over the previous year in the percentage of athletes graduating and/or transferring from an institution. Both public and private two and four-year colleges and universities are considered for the award. Northwest received $1,750 that will be used to assist athletes in academic study, according to Richie Lawson, vice president for education.
Northwest showed a 32 percent increase in student athletes who graduated and/or transferred in the 2013-2014 school year as compared to the 2012-2013 school year.
"We are so pleased to receive this statewide award. We're proud of our athletes and their efforts toward being successful in the classroom," Lawson said.
In August 2013, Northwest hired
Jake Long as athletic academic coordinator. Long holds a bachelor of science in consumer affairs and a master of science in human environmental services from the University of Alabama.
Long came to Northwest after one season as a volunteer assistant baseball coach at Mercer University. Among his many duties, he handled player class scheduling, monitored attendance, coordinated travel and assisted as academic advisor for their student-athletes.
Prior to his stint at Mercer, he also coached the Marion Bobcats of the Ohio Valley Summer Collegiate League in 2013. Long served as assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College from 2011-13. He also handled player class scheduling, implemented and oversaw a team study hall program, monitored class attendance and helped MGCCC reach a 98 percent graduation rate among its baseball players. He was a team manager for the baseball program at UA from 2007-10, assisting with team travel, meals, equipment and field operations.
"Having Jake in this position has made a huge difference in the academic success of our athletes. I am so happy to see our athletes excel in the classroom and move on and continue their education once their time here is completed. This was our goal in creating this position, and we are proud of the work Jake has done," said Larry Simpson, vice president and Northwest registrar.
In addition to the Halbrook Improvement Award, two of Northwest's former athletes, LaJustin Anderson of Senatobia, basketball and Janie Turner of Grenada, softball, received the David M. Halbrook Certificate for Academic Achievement Among Athletes.
Recipients are student athletes who excel in academics, leadership and community service. Anderson now plays for Delta State University, and Turner is studying at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Through the efforts of former state representative, David M. Halbrook, the 1984 Mississippi Legislature passed a resolution that encouraged the state's institutions of higher learning to achieve and maintain high academic standards, leading to the graduation of student athletes. While serving in the legislature, Halbrook, along with his brothers John, James and J.A. Halbrook, endowed the Halbrook Award for Academic Excellence and the John C. and Ernestine McCall Halbrook Improvement Award.
For more information about Northwest athletics, visit the college's athletic website at nwccrangers.com.
