Northwest Golf / Justice Pope: Student Spotlight
This week’s Ranger Hour spotlights Northwest Mississippi Community College athletics and student life, featuring Head Men’s & Women’s Golf Coach Adam Payne and second-year student Justice Pope. Host Gary Darby also runs through big results in football, soccer, and volleyball, plus a packed fall slate at the Heindl Center for the Performing Arts.
Coach Adam Payne — Momentum for Men’s & Women’s Golf
Coach Payne details a fast start for the men’s program after hosting the Northwest Ranger Classic at Kirkwood (Holly Springs), climbing to 6th of 12—a notable jump from last spring. He highlights roster upgrades, including transfer Braden Beverage and international standouts (with Artesh Sharma finishing 3rd individually at 75–72, narrowly missing a playoff). Payne credits intense practices, strength/conditioning, and a strong second-year leadership core for the surge.
On the women’s side, Northwest hosts its fall opener September 14–16 at Kirkwood, welcoming the defending national champion Sheldon State. Despite a couple of early-season back issues, Payne expects the Rangers to build on last year’s milestone nationals appearance and improve on a No. 15 national finish.
Student Spotlight — Justice Pope (Elementary Education)
Justice Pope, a second-year student from Pope, Mississippi, shares why Northwest felt like “home” after a campus tour and We Are Northwest Week. Majoring in Elementary Education, Justice is deeply involved as a Pathfinder, Resident Assistant (RA), SGA member, and Orientation Leader, emphasizing how engagement builds skills and community. Looking ahead, Justice is considering transfer options—Mississippi State, Ole Miss, or Jackson State—with MSU currently in the lead, and plans to begin teaching in Mississippi before exploring opportunities out of state. Her advice to future Rangers: get involved and try new things.
Also in this episode — Sports Roundup & Campus Highlights
- Football: No. 3 Northwest hosts East Central tonight at 7:00 PM (wear red). The Rangers opened with a 42–17road win over Pearl River.
- Women’s Soccer (No. 1): 3–0, outscoring opponents 26–0 (10–0 vs No. 14 Saint Louis, 8–0 vs Neosho County [RV], 8–0 vs No. 16 Northeast Nebraska). Next up: NJCAA Midwest/South Showcase in St. Louis vs No. 5 Heartland (Fri) and Mineral Area (Sun).
- Men’s Soccer: 0–1–2 with draws vs Alabama and Hendrix; play Central Baptist College tonight; home vs Belhaven Tuesday.
- Volleyball: 11–2, 8-match win streak, 3–0 MACCC (wins over Northeast, East Central, Itawamba). Home vs Northwest Shoals (Sat, 11:00 AM) and back to league play vs Meridian (Mon, 6:00 PM).
- Ranger Band: Listen for “Dream On” (Aerosmith) in tonight’s halftime show.
Heindl Center — Fall Lineup
Tomorrow night: The Spinners. Later this fall: Crowder (Sept 14), John Michael Montgomery with Walker Montgomery, Home Free (Oct 17), Ricky Skaggs (Nov), and Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox (Dec). Movies and special events round out a robust season.
Keywords: Northwest Mississippi Community College, NWCC, Bank First Ranger Hour, Adam Payne, Northwest golf, Kirkwood golf, Northwest Ranger Classic, women’s golf nationals, Sheldon State, Artesh Sharma, Braden Beverage, Justice Pope, Elementary Education, We Are Northwest Week, NWCC football, East Central, Pearl River, NWCC women’s soccer, Heartland, Mineral Area, NJCAA showcase, NWCC men’s soccer, NWCC volleyball, MACCC, Heindl Center for the Performing Arts, The Spinners, Crowder, John Michael Montgomery, Home Free, Ricky Skaggs, Postmodern Jukebox, Senatobia events.
