SENATOBIA – For a second consecutive year, Chad Cupples of Northwest Mississippi Community College is headed to the NJCAA Division II Men's Golf National Championship.

The championship is set for May 21-24 at Goose Pond Colony in Scottsboro, Ala.

"I'm really excited," Cupples said. "It's going to be a lot of fun. I want to win, that's why I'm there. I just want to play well and represent Northwest the best I can." Cupples Interview

In 14 rounds this season, Cupples had a 78.3 scoring average with five Top 15 finishes, three Top 5 finishes and an individual win at the Northwest Invitational March 25-26.

The sophomore from Southaven (DeSoto Central) qualified for this year's national championship thanks to his play at last year's championship in Plymouth, Ind. He was named an NJCAA All-American Honorable Mention, which automatically qualified him for 2013, after finishing in a tie for 22nd place with a four-day 303 (78-77-78-70).

Cupples' Top 25 finish marked the first for a Ranger since T. Robert Oakley placed 25th in 2008 and was the best overall finish since All-American Jeremy Aldridge placed 12th in 2005.

The Northwest men's golf team is currently ranked No. 19 in the latest NJCAA DII poll.

SENATOBIA – For a fifth consecutive year, Sycamore Bank has presented the Northwest Football Foundation with a gracious monetary gift that will be used for the Ranger football program.

Chairman and CEO Jay Tindall presented head coach Brad LaPlante with a check for $10,000 on Wednesday, April 3 in Senatobia that will help fund youth camps and other miscellaneous costs that are necessary to run a successful football program.

"We really appreciate Sycamore Bank and this gift," LaPlante said. "This not only helps us with extra equipment that the budget doesn't support, but also pays for coaches clothing that helps promote our program in the community. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be able to run our camps either."

The gift was immediately used to help with costs for the Rangers' youth camp in which 47 kids from around the area came and enjoyed four hours of work and fun with assistant coaches, players and staff. Each camper received a black and blue duffel bag with the Northwest logo as a gift courtesy of Sycamore Bank.

Northwest will kickoff the 2013 season at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29 against Southwest.

GREEN BAY, Wisc. – Former Northwest Mississippi CC and Louisiana Tech standout wide receiver Myles White has signed as an undrafted free agent with the NFL's Green Bay Packers.

"It's a great situation there for me to come in and compete for a starting job," White said.

White chose Green Bay over Atlanta, Buffalo and the New York Giants. 

The Livonia, Mich., product transferred to Northwest in 2010 after one season at Michigan State and was an MACJC First Team All-State and NJCAA All-Region 23 selection in his only season in Senatobia. 

White led the Rangers' receiving corps with 53 catches (6th nationally) for 712 yards and six touchdowns, going over 100 yards in four games.

He then signed with Louisiana Tech on Dec. 15, 2010, and continued his productivity in Ruston his final two seasons for the Bulldogs.

White caught 30 passes for 414 yards and three touchdowns in his junior season and followed that up 56 catches for 718 yards and six touchdowns as a senior in which he gained Second Team All-WAC honors.

White will report to Packers rookie camp on Thursday, May 9.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Sophomore hurler Casey Baddley of Northwest has been named the NJCAA Division II Softball National Pitcher of the Week for games played Monday, April 8 through Sunday, April 14.

This marks the third time of her career to earn the national honor. She was also named the MACJC Pitcher of the Week on Monday for a second time this season.

Baddley, a native of Nesbit (DeSoto Central HS), mowed down the competition last week, going 3-0 with three complete-game shutouts in wins over Itawamba (two) and Holmes.

She tossed 22.2 innings of scoreless softball, scattering 15 strikeouts against zero walks and surrendering 17 hits (all singles). She gave up one run in four outings, it was unearned. She also hit .545 from the plate on the week.

Northwest is 23-9 overall and 11-7 in the north division with six games left in the regular season.

PEARL – The name most synonymous with Northwest Mississippi Community College rodeo will get his moment at the end of the month, as Bud Young will be inducted into the Mississippi Community and Junior College Sports Hall of Fame.

The Seventh Annual induction ceremony will be held on Tuesday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Muse Center on the Rankin County campus of Hinds Community College.

Lawrence “Bud” Young started his bull riding career in 1957 at the age of 12 and joined the International Professional Rodeo Association in 1964 where he is still an active member. He also competed in the PRCA, CRA, URA and the Deep South Rodeo Association.

Young came to Northwest in 1973 as an instructor in livestock management technology, starting the College’s first rodeo team that same year. Under his leadership, the Northwest team traditionally earned awards in local, regional and national competition. His team members won championships in bareback riding, bull riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling and in the All-Around category.

SENATOBIA – Playing their first competitive tennis matches in over a decade, the Northwest men's and women's tennis teams both fell to Itawamba 9-0 on Thursday afternoon at The ROC.

Itawamba is the reigning state champion on the men's side and currently ranked 20th in the NJCAA, while the women's team is ranked 22nd in the nation. Men's Results | Women's Results

On the men's side to open doubles play, Northwest lost all three matches but were most competitive at No. 3 doubles where Weldon Meng/Chase Ferrell lost 8-3. Both matches at No.'s 1 and 2 went Itawamba's way, 8-0.

In singles action, Itawamba was able to come through clean in No.'s 3-6 by 6-0, 6-0 scores.

Ferrell, at No. 1, lost to Lucas Souza by 6-0, 6-1 scores while Meng, at No. 2, lost 6-3, 6-0 to James Jackson.

On the women's side, Itawamba swept all three doubles matches by 8-0 scores for an early 3-0 lead.

GOODMAN – Sophomore Casey Baddley of the Ranger softball team and sophomore Cody Reed of the Northwest baseball team have been named the MACJC Pitchers of the Week for their respective sports, sweeping the honors for games played Monday, March 11 through Sunday, March 17.

Baddley went 2-0 with 12 strikeouts in wins over Itawamba and Holmes last week. She didn't allow a run while scattering seven hits over 12 innings of work and just one extra-base hit. Her complete game, five-hit shutout at Holmes in Game 1 marked her first CG of the season and 18th of her career, while her 10 strikeouts set a new career-high.

A native of Nesbit, Baddley is now 4-2 on the year with a 2.80 ERA in seven starts. She has struck out 37 against just seven walks, holding opponents to a .233 average in 30 innings of work.  

Reed has been zoned in his last three starts, striking out a combined 34 batters against just six walks. He moved up to fifth all-time at Northwest in career strikeouts with 110. He's also lowered his ERA 4.25 points over the last two weeks down to a 2.75 ERA.

A native of Horn Lake and Ole Miss signee, Reed threw a complete-game, 1-hit shutout in a 7-0 win over Itawamba in Game 1. His no-hit bid was broken up with one out in the seventh inning. He had 10 strikeouts in the game and now has double digit strikeouts in his last three outings.

GOODMAN – Northwest sophomore left-hander Cody Reed of Horn Lake has been selected the MACJC Baseball Pitcher of the Week for games played Monday, Feb. 25 through Sunday, March 3.

An Ole Miss signee, Reed is the second Ranger to win the Pitcher of the Week award in as many weeks and is now eligible for NJCAA Division II Player of the Week honors which will be announced Wednesday.

Reed had his best pitching effort of the season in an 11-1 win over Henry Ford, striking out a career-high 11 batters against just one walk in a complete game performance. He scattered four hits and one run in six innings, needing just 98 pitches.

On the year Reed is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three starts, scattering 22 strikeouts in 14 innings of work.  

Northwest returns to the field on Wednesday, March 6 at Arkansas Baptist. First pitch is 5 p.m.

SENATOBIA – The Northwest rodeo team and the rodeo alumni/boosters are selling boston butts for $35 from February 11 to March 18 as part of a fundraiser for the program.

Payment is due at the time of the order, and you can pay by cash, credit card or check.

Pickup and delivery will be determined on an individual basis. The delivery and pickup date is Tuesday, March 26, and there will be on-campus delivery for each Northwest campus.

Place your order by calling 662-560-1105 or send an email to dbwooten @northwestms.edu.

JACKSON – Northwest sophomore guard Tiesha Tunstall of Olive Branch has been named the MACJC/JUCO Weekly Women's Basketball Player of the Week for games played Monday, Feb. 18 through Thursday, Feb. 21.

Tunstall is the second women's basketball POTW from Northwest this season (Monique Biggins) and is now eligible for national player of the week honors which will be announced next Wednesday.

Tunstall helped carry the Lady Rangers to two wins this week by averaging 20 points per game on 53 percent shooting from the floor (17 of 32) and 33 percent shooting from beyond the arc (5 of 15). She added four steals, four rebounds and two assists in 28.5 minutes per game.

She scored a season high 21 points – all in the second half – in Northwest's 76-60 win over Holmes to claim the MACJC North Division Championship.

Northwest (18-5) will return to action on Monday, Feb. 25 at 3 p.m. against Jones County (11-9) in the opening round of the MACJC State Tournament at Pearl River.

Live stats will be available for all Northwest games at www.sidearmstats.com/northwestms/wbball.