JACKSON - After setting a new single-year record of 92 Academic All-MACCC selections, Northwest received more good news on Friday, as the Rangers' football team and Lady Rangers' women's basketball squad earned MACCC Academic Team of the Year honors for the 2020-21 season.

Northwest football posted a 3.12 team GPA and finished as the only MACCC program with a 3.0 or better. This also marks the third year in a row where coach Benjy Parker's squad has earned a 3.0 GPA and the second time since the 2016-17 season that the Rangers have earned Academic Team of the Year accolades.

For women's basketball, the Lady Rangers fielded a 3.41 team GPA to clinch their third straight Academic Team of the Year honor, joining last year's 3.48 GPA and a 3.69 GPA for the 2018-19 season.

Awarded annually, All-Academic Team of the Year is given to the team with the highest grade point average in a sport sponsored by the conference.

"During such a difficult year, the MACCC continued to prove that its student-athletes are winners on the court or field, and in the classroom," said MACCC Commissioner Steve B. Martin. "Congratulations to all of our student-athletes, coaches and support staff for their hard work and discipline.

Additionally, four other Northwest teams finished with cumulative GPAs of 3.0 or higher, led by a 3.59 GPA from softball, which ranked as the highest among all other Northwest programs. Women's soccer followed with a 3.49 GPA, followed by a 3.43 mark from volleyball and a 3.38 team GPA from baseball.