SENATOBIA - After a season that saw the Northwest Mississippi Community College men's soccer team accumulate a 6-11-1 record, the Rangers have welcomed several newcomers as well as first year Head Coach Windham Whatley to Senatobia to help improve the NWCC men's soccer program.
Although the Rangers' season ended after only tallying two wins in MACCC play, the team's six wins were the most since 2016. This year the team wants to show that Ranger mentality and just compete daily.
"We want to compete in every game," Whatley said. "After the first game, we want to be 1-0 and then build off of that."
Although Northwest will be a team full of fresh faces, there will be a few Northwest stalwarts that will see significant playing time.
Showcasing his versatility, Wesley Kilpatrick will be playing in a more defensive role this season. Another returner, defender Leo Frank will look to provide stability to the Rangers' backline, and sophomore Vaughn Stackhouse will provide much needed leadership both on and off the field.
The team will also look to the new face at the helm in Whatley to provide the needed leadership to develop a dependable roster.
Whatley comes to NWCC after spending the past six years at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. During his time with the Bulldogs, Whatley served as a volunteer assistant coach before being named a full-time assistant in 2022. During his time on the Bulldogs' staff, MGCCC accumulated a 67-28-12 record and made a national tournament appearance in 2022.
For the past five years, Whatley has also coached for the South Mississippi Soccer Club.
As a player, Whatley served as a captain for the MGCCC Bulldogs for two years. After graduating from MGCCC, Whatley continued his soccer career at William Carey.
Whatley is not the only fresh face on campus for the men's soccer team. The incoming freshman class is large and will look to immediately impact the Ranger soccer program, including six new intriguing international players to the team.
"All of them will play in some sort of way. They are exciting to watch," Whatley said.
Along with the international players, the freshman class is filled with players that simply want to play hard and do the work required to succeed.
"Luis Cano is an engine in the middle. Gio (Salinas) is a silent worker, and he is going to do anything that we ask," Whatley said. "Landon Hood has grown into his role over the preseason. It's a massive class."
NWCC's stacked schedule begins with a two-game homestand against Arkansas-Cossatot Community College on August 21 and Dyersburg State Community College on August 25.
For their first road trip of the season, the team will travel to St. Louis, Mo., to take on Allen County Community College on August 28 and Kansas City Kansas Community College on August 30 in the St. Louis Showcase.
Northwest will then play Blue Mountain Christian University's JV team on September 1 before traveling to East Central Community College (Mo.) to take on the Falcons on September 8.
In their last contest before MACCC play begins, the Rangers will take on National Park College on September 11.
The MACCC is an extremely competitive conference and NWCC will look to use that to their advantage.
"Anybody can beat anybody on any given day, and for us, that's an advantage," Whatley said. "As long as we are showing up ready to compete and do the work that it takes, then I think we have a chance in any game."
Northwest will host Copiah-Lincoln Community College in their MACCC opener on September 15 before traveling to Southwest Community College on September 18.
The team's next opponent will be conference powerhouse #7 Jones College in Senatobia on September 22 with the Bobcats coming in on the heels of a trip to the national championship. Three days later, on September 25, Northwest will host Holmes Community College.
After traveling to MGCCC on October 2, the Rangers will host East Central Community College on October 6.
In their last top-ten matchup of the season, NWCC will travel to Poplarville to take on #10 Pearl River Community College on October 9.
The Rangers will then play a two-game homestand and host Meridian Community College and Millsaps College (JV) on October 13 and October 16, respectively.
Before playing #16 Hinds Community College at home on October 23, Northwest will make the trip to Fulton to take on Itawamba Community College on October 20.
The Rangers last game of the regular season will be an away trip to Scooba on October 27 to take on East Mississippi Community College.
"The team is going to fight every game whether we are playing the top team in the conference or the bottom team," Whatley said. "They are going to want to play. They are going to want to compete, and they are going to want to run for each other."
To stay up to date on the NWCC men's soccer team, follow the Ranger social media accounts or go to nwccrangers.com. Coverage of home games can be found on Ranger TV.
