SENATOBIA - It seems like yesterday that coach Chelsea Bramlett and the Northwest softball program were tearing through the 2022 season.

With records falling left and right and new milestones being achieved seemingly every week, the Rangers made history last year by earning the program's first-ever NJCAA Region 23 title. To top it off, Bramlett's club made it to the NJCAA Division II National Softball Tournament for the first time ever and won four games, finishing as one of the final four teams remaining in a crowded 16-team field.

Now, the Rangers enter the 2023 season with a No. 8 national ranking from the NJCAA, the program's first-ever preseason ranking. Although a large number of players from last year's team are now gone, Bramlett brings back some key contributors that will certainly keep the momentum going.

Two in particular are pitcher Gabby Dickerson and infielder McKaylee Polk, both of whom made their respective marks in the program's record books. 

"I'm really hoping for my current sophomores to pick up where last year's group left off," Bramlett said. "Gabby, K.K. and several others are back from last year, so they know the standard that we have and they know what it takes to meet that standard."

Dickerson wasted no time cementing herself into the rotation last year and the Olive Branch native took the conference by storm. Her 40 appearances in the circle were tied for the most by any Northwest pitcher in a single season and her 26-9 overall record set the Rangers' single-season record for most victories. Additionally, she tossed 239 strikeouts in 203.1 innings pitched, setting new single-season records in both categories.

While Dickerson will certainly be the anchor of the Rangers' pitching staff, Bramlett knows that others will need to step up in order to keep a leg up on the competition. Additionally, Bramlett says that Dickerson has done some work of her own to improve her game during the offseason.

"She understands that everyone knows her approach from last year," Bramlett said. "So we have to add something else to it. We have been working on some control with the pitches and working on location a little more too. She has more help this year than last year and that has probably taken a lot more stress off of her. I think we will see the same Gabby we saw last year, just even better in some areas."

Some of that help Bramlett mentioned includes fellow sophomore Kylee Brown and Itawamba transfer Allyson Harrison, both of whom are expected to add plenty of depth to the rotation. Freshman Neely Cooper will also be expected to make a positive impact there as well. 

As mentioned, Polk also returns for her sophomore season after setting the bar with an impressive freshman campaign. The Senatobia native broke the program's single-season home run record with 18, surpassing Saige Koczka's previous record of 14 that was set the year before. Additionally, Polk earned All-American honors by both the NJCAA and NFCA, finishing with a .397 batting average, .806 slugging percentage, 19 doubles, a triple, 18 home runs and 61 RBIs, all while completing a .928 fielding percentage at third base.

Although she will probably continue to be a nightmare for opposing pitchers, Bramlett knows that the newcomers are going to have to do their part to keep the bats going.

"I think she's going to be pitched around some (by opponents)," Bramlett said. "She's going to see some different approaches this year and it's going to take people in front of and behind her in the order to step up. We will move her around in the lineup and see where she fits best, so we can force the opposing teams to throw to her."

One player that is expected to really help in the batting lineup is Reese Vanlandingham. After missing all of last season with an ACL injury, the Guntown native is now healthy and had an impressive fall.

"She's going to be really helpful," Bramlett said. "She didn't see live pitching for almost a year, but it didn't slow her down at all in the fall and she did really well."

In the infield, Polk will obviously continue to play a pivotal role. However, Bramlett has also been impressed with the versatility of Harrison, who will be contributing both in the circle and at shortstop, replacing a two-year starter in Maddie Brower. Cooper could also see time at first base when not in the circle

Sophomores Bailey Russell and Anna Nickens will make the switch to the outfield, along with freshman Kaylee Owens. Behind the plate, Bramlett will look to freshmen Crista Wilson and Maggie Ross to replace another seasoned veteran in Molly Harris.

"Everything will be a shuffle until we figure out what all we have," Bramlett said. "We just have to see where everyone fits best."

This year's schedule won't feature many early home games for Northwest. The Rangers have just one non-conference home doubleheader on the docket, with various tournaments and round robin dates making up the remainder of February.

However, Northwest does welcome a heavy slate of conference opponents to Ranger Softball Field, beginning with Southwest Mississippi and Copiah-Lincoln on March 11 and March 18, respectively. The Rangers will also have four straight home doubleheaders in mid-April, featuring Northeast, Meridian, East Mississippi and Mississippi Gulf Coast.

On the flip side, Northwest will have to travel to nationally-ranked Jones College and consistently-tough opponents East Central, Itawamba and Pearl River.

"We just wanted to work in as much as we could before conference play," Bramlett said, in regards to her early season schedule. "We played a lot over our heads in the fall and now we're getting back to reality and getting ourselves ready for the conference slate. Co-Lin and Jones will be tough and Co-Lin is a program still on the rise. Pearl River returns Brinson Anne Rogers in the circle as well, but overall you just can't take anyone lightly in this conference. We have already had the talk with our team about being preseason ranked and realizing to ourselves that the target is now on our backs, so it's time for us to step up."

While bringing in a large amount of freshmen can sometimes mean taking a small step back, Bramlett still has the same goals in mind based off last season's success.

"Our goal is to make it back to the national tournament," Bramlett said. "I think the biggest challenge for us is getting this freshman group to understand what it takes to do that. I think that they will get it, but it might take some time. The practices that we have had over the last couple weeks have been high-intensity practices and I have told them that if they keep up that tempo, they're only going to get better and they're going to achieve all of our goals."

Northwest will open the 2023 season on Monday, February 6 against Jackson State (Tenn.). The doubleheader is set for 4/6 P.M. at Ranger Softball Field.