James Beattie is entering his sixth season as the head women's soccer coach at Northwest. During his time with the Lady Rangers, Beattie has brought a wide range of coaching and playing experience stretching from both the collegiate to professional soccer ranks.
The Glasgow, Scotland native played collegiate soccer at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Oklahoma City University. Beattie scored 40 goals and tabbed 41 assists, while compiling a record of 54-15-2 throughout his four year collegiate career. He was a four-time First Team All-Conference player and was a two-time First Team All-American. Before arriving in the United States, Beattie was a professional footballer for Partick Thistle FC and is a graduate of the prestigious Queens Park Football Club professional youth academy.
Entering 2025, Beattie is coming off his most successful season to date at Northwest, as his 2024 squad finished with a perfect 22-0 overall record and captured the program's first NJCAA Division II national championship. The Lady Rangers outscored their opponents by a 91-13 margin and averaged 4.14 goals per game.
Beattie himself earned a personal milestone on October 17, 2024, as he became the program's all-time winningest coach with a 9-1 victory at East Mississippi. His 70th career win surpassed previous wins leader Peter Jarjoura (2002-12) and Beattie now owns a career record of 79-13-4 (.844), with a conference record of 37-8-3 (.802).
Seven members of the 2024 team have signed to four-year programs, including Yaritza Trejo (Ole Miss), the Lady Rangers' first-ever Southeastern Conference signee. Additional Division I signees included Penny Warner (Southern Illinois) and Anna Kathryn Harrell (Central Arkansas), while Caroline Chandler, Emma Earwood, Raegan Tucker and Allie Reed Greer all signed with Delta State University.
Two seasons ago, the Northwest women's program had another historic campaign under Beattie's leadership. The Lady Rangers earned the program's first 20-win season, totaling a 21-2 overall record, while finishing 10-1 in the MACCC. Additionally, Northwest captured the program's first-ever NJCAA Region 23 championship, while also earning a share of the MACCC regular season title. The Lady Rangers also made it back to the NJCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship for the second consecutive season.
Beattie's 2023 squad outscored its opponents 112-4 over the course of the season, averaging 5.3 goals per game. Freshman goalkeeper Anna Kathryn Harrell posted an 18-2 record between the posts, earning 66 saves on the season with a .943 save percentage.
A total of eight players earned All-MACCC recognition, with Harrell and defender Raylin Dixon garnering All-NJCAA Region 23 accolades. The duo also received all-American accolades from both the NJCAA and United Soccer Coaches organization.
Seven of Beattie's 2023 student-athletes signed with four-year programs, headlined by Division I signees Dixon (Jacksonville State), Evie Crawford (Jacksonville State) and Amaya Andrews (Jackson State). Off the pitch, Beattie's team posted a 3.75 team GPA last spring, the highest among any other Northwest athletic program.
In 2022, Northwest boasted a 15-2-3 overall record and reached the NJCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship tournament for the first time in program history. The Lady Rangers proved they belonged, winning Pool D of the tournament, which included a thrilling 2-1 double overtime victory against Pima (Ariz.). Northwest reached the semifinals of the tournament, falling 2-0 to eventual national champion Phoenix College.
Seven members of Beattie's club earned All-MACCC recognition last season, including NJCAA and United Soccer Coaches' First Team All-American Jennifer Enriquez. Arguably one of the most decorated women's soccer athletes in the program's history, Enriquez departed Northwest as the program's single-season and career leader in assists, while finishing third in career points.
Beattie's coaching staff was also recognized for a strong 2022 campaign, earning MACCC Women's Soccer Coaching Staff of the Year. The group also garnered Junior College Division II Mid-South Region Coaching Staff of the Year, as named by the United Soccer Coaches.
In 2021, the Lady Rangers earned a 15-3-1 final record and was a mainstay in the national rankings by the NJCAA and United Soccer Coaches' polls, where the Lady Rangers finished ranked fifth among NJCAA Division II programs.
With a playoff victory against Meridian on November 2, 2021, Beattie notched his 21st victory leading the Lady Rangers, becoming the fastest Northwest soccer coach to reach 20 or more victories. Northwest also produced four all-conference selections, highlighted by midfielder Jennifer Enriquez, who shattered the program's single-season and career assists record, earning 20 for the season. Enriquez led the MACCC in assists and finished third in the nation.
Beattie was also instrumental in bringing in leading scorer MJ Loeffel, who earned 19 goals on the season for the Lady Rangers. Defender Molly Rose was another all-conference selection for Northwest and signed with Division I program Georgia State following the 2021 season.
In all, 24 players have moved to the next level since Beattie's arrival to the program, highlighted by Crawford and Dixon (Jacksonville State), Andrews (Jackson State), Enriquez (UT Martin), Melinda Hernandez (Little Rock), Molly Rose (Georgia State).
Beattie inherited a Northwest program that finished 3-12 in 2019, having missed the MACCC playoffs for the last five seasons. In his first season with the Lady Rangers the program finished with a 6-6 record and advanced to the first round of the conference playoffs, dropping a narrow 1-0 loss at Mississippi Gulf Coast.
In Beattie’s first season, the Lady Rangers had a record six all-conference selections, led by first teamers Rose and Eliza Olive. Bailey, Loeffel, Logan Tomlinson and Sarah Kate Burns were recognized as second team selections.
Northwest has also performed well in the classroom during Beattie's tenure, as the Lady Rangers were awarded Academic Team of the Year by the MACCC and NJCAA with a 3.62 GPA. His previous Northwest team posted a 3.46 cumulative GPA, as 14 Lady Rangers earned MACCC All-Academic team honors.
Beattie started his coaching career in Scotland working with the Partick Thistle FC professional youth academy. He is now a Director of Coaching for Lobos Rush Soccer Club in Memphis, Tenn. Beattie also serves as a head coach for the Rush National Team Program.
Beattie also served as the Head Coach for the Memphis Lobos for three seasons, competing in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL), the second tier of the women’s professional soccer pyramid. The Memphis Lobos team consisted of players from NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NAIA, NJCAA and national team ranks. In three seasons with the Lobos, Beattie moved six players into the first tier of the professional soccer ranks in North America and Europe.
He was an assistant coach at Christian Brothers University (NCAA Division II) men's soccer program from 2018-20, helping the Bucs qualify for the Gulf South Conference Tournament in 2019.
He has obtained his United States Soccer Federation A license and Director of Coaching license from the United States Soccer Federation. Additionally, Beattie is a D license and Grassroots Instructor, as certified by the United States Soccer Federation.
Beattie is a graduate from Oklahoma City University with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree (Exercise Science) and received his Masters of Science Degree (Sports Administration) from Arkansas State University. He is married to the former Amanda Hooten of Southaven. The couple has two children, Atlas Glasgow Beattie, who was born in December 2022, and Scotlyn James, born in January 2025. Beattie proudly attained his U.S. citizenship on July 27, 2023.
THE BEATTIE FILE:
PERSONAL
Hometown: Glasgow, Scotland
Colleges:
- University of the West of Scotland- National Unit (Sports Mechanics)
- Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College- Associates of Arts Degree (General Studies)
- Oklahoma City University- Bachelors of Science Degree (Exercise Science)
- Arkansas State University- Masters of Science Degree (Sports Administration)
Coaching Licenses:
- United States Soccer Federation - A License
- United States Soccer Federation - Director of Coaching License
- United States Soccer Federation - Licensed USSF Grassroots Instructor
- United States Soccer Federation - Licensed USSF D License Instructor
- Scottish Football Association - Talent Identification License
- United Soccer Coaches - Director of Coaching Diploma
Family: Amanda Beattie (Wife), Atlas Glasgow Beattie (Son), Scotlyn James Beattie (Daughter)
PLAYING EXPERIENCE:
- Queens Park Professional Youth Academy
- Partick Thistle Football Club
- Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College – Earned All-American and NJCAA All-Academic honors
- Birmingham Legion (USL 2)
- Memphis 901 FC (USL 2)
- Oklahoma City University – Earned All-American and NAIA Academic All-American honors
COACHING EXPERIENCE:
2014-2015 – Partick Thistle Professional Youth Academy (Academy Coach)
2015-2017 – South Mississippi Soccer Club (Head Coach)
2017-2019 – Oklahoma City Energy Football Club (Head Coach)
2018-2020 – Christian Brothers University (Assistant Coach)
2018-2020 – Memphis Lobos WPSL (Head Coach)
2018-Present – Lobos Rush Soccer Club (Director of Coaching)
2018-Present – Rush National Team Program (Head Coach)
2020-Present – Northwest Mississippi Community College (Head Coach)
2023-Present - United States Soccer Federation (Licensed Instructor)
2024-Present - Mississippi Soccer Association (Director of Player & Coach Development)
Team Record (Season by Season):
- 2020 - 6-6
- 2021 - 15-3-1
- 2022 - 15-2-3
- 2023 - 21-2
- 2024 - 22-0; NJCAA DII National Champions
Team GPA (Semester by Semester):
- 3.66 Team GPA (Spring 2022)
- 3.65 Team GPA (Fall 2022)
- 3.59 Team GPA (Spring 2023)
- 3.63 Team GPA (Fall 2023)
- 3.75 Team GPA (Spring 2024)
- 3.81 Team GPA (Fall 2024)
- 3.73 Team GPA (Spring 2025)
