SENATOBIA – Northwest Mississippi Community College celebrated the opening of its brand-new Athletic Performance Facility on Thursday afternoon with members of the Board of Trustees joining college administrators, members of the athletic department, and student athletes at the ribbon cutting event.

"This literally is a 'game-changing' facility for our institution," Northwest President Dr. Michael J. Heindl said. "From a new sports medicine and athletic training space for our seven women's athletic programs, to being the new home for the National Championship Ranger Cheer teams and Dance team, and from the aspect of being able to provide safe practice surfaces for many of our athletic teams, the Ranger Athletic Performance Facility is the premier facility in the nation for athletics. Special thanks to the Northwest Board of Trustees for their continued support of all students at the College—along with our great student athletes."

The $14 million project features a 70-yard covered turf practice field for multiple sports and a state-of-the-art cheer and dance practice facility with locker rooms, offices, and a meeting space. It also has a dedicated area for sports medicine and trainers specifically for female student-athletes.

Northwest's growth is showcased not only in athletics, but also in the dedication to the student's academic experience, providing the best environment for success for the full student body.

"We are proud to provide state of the art facilities for our students," Vice President for Administration and Finance Jeff Horton said. "Whether it's the newly renovated Learning Resource Center at Senatobia, the new Health Science and Career Tech space on our DeSoto Campus or the soon-to-break ground facility to expand our Health Science programs at our Oxford campus.  We know that facilities play an important part in the student learning experience.  I want to thank our great facility partners Eley Guild Hardy, Innovative Construction Management and our construction team here at Northwest for delivering this incredible space for our students."

ICM had representatives on site as well for the ribbon cutting, and they said they are proud to continue their partnership with Northwest for projects that will have a lasting impact.

"We are very blessed in our working relationship with Northwest and for them trusting us to be the construction managers over this project," said Blane Sellers, division manager of operations for ICM Construction. "Their leadership team is fantastic, and they care so much about this community, and it shows in the decisions that they make and the impacts it has on their students. We are thankful to be a part of their team and to be entrusted with such an important project for the College. We are also thankful for the design team and their vision, and all of our trade partners. Those are the guys putting in the work every day. We are excited to continue the relationship at Northwest."

This complex gives the Ranger athletic programs a continued boost in their competitive goals on a national stage with the new facility covering over 56,000-square-feet with both indoor and outdoor facilities for use.

"The Athletic Performance Facility is an amazing addition to the Northwest campus," Athletic Director Jake Gordon said. "Not only does it help with the aesthetics of the campus, but it gives our athletes a place to practice, regardless of what the weather is looking like. It is definitely something that they can be proud of."

Northwest athletics, such as football, men's and women's soccer, baseball, and softball, now can practice regardless of weather conditions. The space will also be available for student activities and college events.

"I think it will certainly help with recruiting. Our facilities here continue to get better and better every single year and guys see that," Head Football Coach Benji Parker said adding that it provides more options for practice when conditions aren't optimal. "It will help us when we have bad weather and when it gets too hot, we can go in there and cool off a bit so it will certainly benefit us big time when we can't go outside."

"It's obviously a game changer," said James Beattie, two-time national champion head women's soccer coach. "We are the only ones in the country that will have a facility like this to utilize so for us it's just another thing we can use from a technical standpoint and a recruiting standpoint."

It is also the new home for Northwest cheer and dance, giving them their own space to continue their success. The two teams have won a combined 12 national titles since 2021.  

"It's going to be amazing having a facility like no other in the country," Head Cheer Coach Brandon Casey said. "This is a game changer for recruiting and bringing athletes on campus to see what all Northwest is about"

"It means the world for us to have this facility," Head Dance Coach Patrice Christian said. "To have the marley floor, the mirrors, just to have a space that is only ours is not only amazing, but also rare. We know that isn't something that everyone gets, and definitely not at this level so we are extremely grateful."

The space also includes an athletic training space solely for female athletes, more than doubling the previous space available for athletic training that was available.

"We continue to set a high standard for junior college athletics, and this new athletic performance facility is a testament to that commitment," said Justin Ware of Athletico and Northwest head athletic trainer. "Within the facility, we've created a dedicated athletic training room for our female athletes, providing them with a comfortable and supportive space for injury prevention, treatment, and recovery. 

The building is also visually appealing, with artwork from various moments in Northwest sports history adorning the walls inside as well as a striking exterior that was put together by the communications department.

"Beyond everything this facility provides, I'm especially grateful for the work of our communications team in capturing and showcasing the stories of our student-athletes," said Dr. Andrew Dale, associate vice president for community relations. "From the large-scale photography displays to the exterior mesh wraps, this building doesn't just support performance—it tells the story of Northwest. It truly is a work of art."

For more information on the new Athletic Performance Facility, you can visit the nwccrangers.com/facilities.