TUCSON, Ariz. - Less than two months away from the first pitch of the 2021 NJCAA baseball season, Northwest has already captured the national spotlight with a preseason No. 19 ranking, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper announced late Wednesday afternoon.

Established in 1957 as one of the nation's oldest collegiate baseball publications, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper compiles preseason polls for each level of NCAA, NJCAA and California Community College Athletic Association competition.

Northwest joins three MACCC programs in the preseason rankings - Pearl River (6th), Jones College (7th) and Hinds (10th). Additionally, NJCAA Region 23 foe LSU Eunice tops the national rankings in the No. 1 spot.

Northern Oklahoma-Enid, Mesa (Ariz.), Parkland (Ill.) and Scottsdale (Ariz.) round out the top five at slots 2-5, respectively.

Despite having its 2020 season cut short due to the cruel effects of COVID-19, the Rangers compiled a 14-1 overall record that doubled as the best 15-game start in program history. Northwest topped out at No. 7 in the national NJCAA rankings and scored 10 or more runs in seven games.

Columbia State handed Northwest its lone loss in a split on February 19, before the Rangers swept the Chargers in a road doubleheader two weeks later. In one of those contests, Northwest took away a 24-1 victory, scoring the most runs in a contest since a 28-1 triumph against Coahoma on March 25, 2003.

Six members of the 2020 Northwest squad signed to play at the next level, including left-handed ace and MLB Draft hopeful Dalton Fowler (Oklahoma), right-hander Parker Stinnett (Mississippi State), speedy centerfielder Brayland Skinner (Mississippi State), right-handed pitcher Landon Zizmann (Delta State) and relievers Jackson "Chomp" Smith (Mississippi College) and Trent Bunting (Arkansas Monticello).

Coach Mark Carson's club will also return a slew of returning sophomores after being granted an extra season of eligibility, including infielders Peyton Mills, Kelton Hall, Noah Hattier, outfielder Hammer Franks and pitchers Joel Wilkinson and Colton Peel.

Northwest is working with the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference to finalize the 2021 schedule. Once an agreement is reached, a revised schedule will be announced on nwccrangers.com and on Twitter (@NWCC_Rangers and @NWCCBaseball).