SENATOBIA – Northwest Mississippi Community College will celebrate the start of the 2023 fall sports season with its annual "Meet the Rangers" event, scheduled for Monday, August 21 at 7 P.M.

Admission is free for the event, which will be held at Bobby Franklin Field and will recognize members of the rodeo, volleyball, football, men's and women's soccer teams, cheerleaders, dance team and Ranger Marching Band.

Meet the Rangers will highlight the Ranger Band, who will be performing snippets from their 2023 halftime show. This year's show is titled "Above and BeyoNd", featuring the following music: the theme from "2001: A Space Odyssey", "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light 'Em Up)" by Fall Out Boy, "Still Fly" and "We Fly High" featuring the Northwest Dance Team, theme music from "Flash Gordon" featuring the drumline, "E.T." by Katy Perry and the encore "I'll Fly Away". 

Though football season is still a couple weeks away, the Northwest volleyball, men's soccer and women's soccer squads will kick off their respective seasons next week. The Northwest men's soccer team hosts Meridian on Thursday, August 17 at 3 P.M. for a non-conference match, while the Northwest volleyball program kicks off its season at the Pensacola State Tournament from August 17-18. The Lady Rangers were the Region 23 play-in champions last season and advanced to FSCAA/NJCAA Gulf District Tournament for the first time in program history.

Speaking of firsts, the Northwest women's soccer team finished 15-2-3 last season and qualified for the NJCAA Division II Championship Tournament last season in Tucson. The Lady Rangers fell in the semifinals, but ended the season ranked third in the nation. This year's season is slated to kick off August 19-20 in St. Louis against Jefferson College and South Suburban College.

On the gridiron, Northwest will open its 2023 campaign on the road at Mississippi Gulf Coast on Thursday, September 7. The contest will begin at 7 P.M., with coverage available on Ranger TV, Action News 5 Plus and WHCQ-LD 8.

Northwest will also begin the fall portion of its 2023-24 rodeo season with the Viking Stampede, hosted by Missouri Valley College from September 21-23.

Join the conversation on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by using #ALLN and #MTR23 during the evening's festivities.