Bubba Skelton, the winningest coach in Northwest men’s basketball history, returns for a 15th season in Senatobia as part of his second stint. Skelton was also named Northwest’s athletic director on June 13, 2014.
Skelton and the Rangers had a breakout season in 2017-18, posting a 22-4 record and finishing 12th in the NJCAA's final poll. Northwest also won the north division for a 13th time and finished runner-up in the MACJC.
For his efforts leading the Rangers to an eighth 20-win season, Skelton was named the MACJC's 2018 Co-Coach of the Year.
Skelton led the Rangers to a 14-9 overall mark, 7-5 finish in the north division and fifth MACJC Tournament appearance in six years in Ellisville during the 2016-17 season.
With an 86-68 home win over Mississippi Delta on January 14, 2016, Skelton passed Kenneth “Cat” Robbins for first all-time in men’s basketball history with win No. 252. His career coaching mark with the Rangers now stands at 295-106 overall (.736) and he’s also 127-41 all-time in north division play.
In 20 seasons as a head coach at the junior college level, Skelton is 396-169 overall for a solid .701 winning percentage.
Skelton’s second stint began with the 2012-13 season after a six-year hiatus. He led the Rangers to a 19-8 record and a trip to the state and region tournaments. Northwest was less than 30 seconds away from the national tournament and finished as Region 23 runner-up after a 66-62 loss to East Mississippi.
A five-time Region 23 and five-time MACJC Coach of the Year selection, Skelton spent the 2008-12 seasons at Jones County Junior College where he led the Bobcats to a 68-38 record. In his first season in 2008-09, Skelton piloted Jones to a 24-5 record and its first state championship since the 1945-46 season.
Prior to Jones, Skelton was an assistant coach at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, for two years. The Cardinals went 19-11 and tied for the Southland Conference crown in his final season.
Skelton previously coached at Northwest during the 1998-2006 seasons. Northwest won three MACJC Championships (2000-01, 2004-05, 2005-06) and five Region 23 Championships (2000-01, 2002-03, 2003-06) under his leadership and went to five national tournaments in Hutchinson, Kan., in eight seasons.
Northwest closed out Skelton’s final three seasons with a Top 10 national ranking by the NJCAA, including a No. 2 finish to end the 2005-06 season.
Skelton started his head coaching career in the MACJC at Southwest Mississippi CC during the 1996-98 seasons, leading the Bears to a combined 31-25 record.
A native of Leland, Skelton was a four-year letterman at Mississippi College and played in every game during his career with the Choctaws. He was third in the Gulf South Conference in assists as a senior and was an All-GSC Academic team selection in 1986 and 1987.
Skelton is married to the former Tammy Pryor of Ellisville and they have one son, Trey, a former Northwest basketball player and now a senior at Ole Miss.
