CORDOVA, Tenn. - Though football was the main attraction for the 66th AutoZone Liberty Bowl over the weekend, other side events associated with the annual bowl game were also prominently featured, including one that took place after the game itself.

Saturday marked the 36th annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl Rodeo, hosted at the Agricenter Showplace Arena. The International Professional Rodeo Association event featured a couple Northwest student-athletes in competition, including bull rider Luke Stanley, who took home top honors.

Stanley, a native of Mantachie, finished with a score of 73 and was the only qualifying ride in the Bull Riding PBR Challenge. He took home a New Montana Silversmith Gold Buckle for the win.

Meanwhile, Darby Toole also competed for the third straight year, placing third in women's breakaway roping with a 3.0 score. The Eudora native won the breakaway roping last season, earning a time of 3.5 seconds, and finished fourth in barrel racing two years ago.

December was a banner month once again for the Northwest rodeo program, as coach Will Lummus competed in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo for the seventh straight season, finishing second in both the average and world standings. Current steer wrestlers Kent Jordan and Wyatt Newman also represented the Rangers in the YETI Junior World Finals for the second consecutive year, placing second and third, respectively.

Following the fall portion of the 2024-25 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association season, Northwest sits at No. 4 in the men's team standings for the Ozark Region, while the Lady Rangers are in fifth place. Stanley and Dakota Smith rank in the Ozark Region's top two for bull riding, while Christian Cagle and Will Collier hold the top two slots in the steer wrestling region standings.

Northwest will resume rodeo competition on the weekend of March 6-8 at Arkansas Tech University.