JACKSON - Northwest student-athletes produced many memorable moments in the arena during the 2024-25 school year.  On Monday, several of the Ranger squads were recognized for their work in the classroom as well.

Five Northwest teams brought home MACCC Academic Team of the Year awards, the conference announced Monday morning. The Rangers led the way among conference members, with Northeast following at four and Copiah-Lincoln bringing home three team awards.  Gulf Coast, Pearl River, and Coahoma were each tops in two sports, while Itawamba and East Mississippi brought home one award apiece.

Coach Chelsea Bramlett's Softball Program topped the charts for the Rangers with a 3.86 team GPA for the 2024-25 school year.  Bramlett's squad also excelled on the field during the spring season.  The squad set a program record with 44 wins and was selected to play in the NJCAA Division II Softball World Series for just the second time in history.

The 2024 edition of head coach James Beattie's women's soccer program not only brought home a perfect 22-0 season and an NJCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship, but they also excelled in the classroom.  The squad's 3.79 team GPA topped all conference members, giving them one more victory to wrap up a memorable year.

Coach Andy Wolf's men's tennis team made a return trip to the NJCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championships after a one-year absence and finished the season #17 in the ITA JUCO rankings.  The team also finished at the top of the conference in the classroom, posting a MACCC-leading 3.76 team GPA.

2024-25 marked the debut of the Northwest women's golf program.  Coach Adam Payne's inaugural squad made a splash by finishing 6th in the NJCAA South District Tournament and competing in the NJCAA Division II Women's Golf Championship tournament.  The ladies also competed in the classroom, posting a conference-leading team GPA of 3.57.

Coach Benjy Parker's football team finished with a 3.26 team GPA, earning MACCC Academic Team of the Year honors for the second consecutive school year. This is the fourth time in the last five years that the Rangers have earned the highest GPA among MACCC football programs.  Parker's squad also won the MACCC Championship and competed in the NJCAA Division I Football Playoff for the third time in the four-year history of the tournament.

Although they did not earn MACCC Academic Team of the Year accolades this season, six other Northwest teams also finished with 3.0 GPAs or higher.  Wolf's women's tennis team post the highest GPA of all Northwest squads who did not top the list.  The team's 3.81 GPA was good enough for second behind Northeast. 

Northwest baseball posted a 3.59 team GPA, finishing second in the MACCC, just behind East Mississippi and Co-Lin (3.62 each). Men's golf (3.45), volleyball (3.39), men's soccer (3.35) and women's basketball (3.03) round out the academic highlights for Northwest.

Under the guidance of athletic academic advisors Charlesy Kennedy and Tori Fugatt, Northwest student-athletes had a strong year in the classroom. A total of 194 Rangers earned recognition to the Fall 2024 Athletic Director's Honor Roll, with 163 being selected for the Spring 2025 semester. Additionally, 191 Northwest student-athletes were named to the President's or Vice President's lists for the Fall 2024 semester, with 178 earning similar recognition for the spring.