CHARLOTTE - For the first time since April 22, 2024, Northwest has entered the NJCAA Division II Baseball Rankings, released Monday afternoon.

Thanks to a 17-4 start to the season, the Rangers went from unranked in the preseason polls to No. 21 in this week's edition of the rankings, the first in-season poll conducted by the NJCAA.

Northwest was one of five MACCC teams ranked in this week's polls, highlighted by East Central at the top and No. 2 Pearl River. Jones College moved up from 12th to No. 4, while Holmes also joined the rankings at No. 24. Northeast was unranked, but received votes.

Pasco-Hernando State (Fla.) and South Mountain (Ariz.) round out the remainder of the top five, slotted at third and fifth, respectively.

Northwest is slated to open MACCC competition on Wednesday against the fourth-ranked Bobcats at 1/4 P.M. Jones College (13-5) leads the all-time series with the Rangers by a 33-18 margin. Meanwhile, coach Mark Carson has a chance to record his 557th career win, which would surpass Jim Miles for the all-time winningest record in program history.

Both games will be carried on Ranger TV, with live stats available here.