Mounce to lead Northwest tennis programs
June 11, 2025 – Northwest Mississippi Community College has selected Ryan Mounce as its new head coach for the men’s and women’s tennis programs, the institution announced Wednesday morning.
Mounce comes to Northwest after spending a year as the head coach for the men’s and women’s tennis programs at Meridian Community College.
“I’d like to thank [Northwest athletic director] Jake Gordon, the interview committee and Dr. Heindl for this opportunity,” Mounce stated. “I cannot wait to get started and to continue to elevate the Northwest tennis programs.”
Mounce had a successful stint at Meridian this past season, as the Lady Eagles finished third in the MACCC with a No. 18 national ranking in the year-end ITA JUCO rankings. The men’s program finished sixth in the conference and earned a national ranking of No. 22, with both Meridian teams making appearances in the NJCAA National Tournament.
Prior to last season, Mounce served as the assistant tennis coach at Lafayette High School in Oxford, Miss. from 2021-24, helping the Commodores to four straight MHSAA Class 5A state championships. Along with head coach Debbie Swindol, he also coached eight individual state champion student-athletes during that timeframe.
In addition to his coaching stint at Lafayette, Mounce also was a personal trainer at the Oxford YMCA from 2020-24 and was a teaching professional for the Oxford Park Commission from 2021-24, leading groups and giving private tennis instruction.
Mounce played tennis for Oxford High School and was the Vice President of the Ole Miss club tennis team. He graduated from Ole Miss in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science.
“I have watched Ryan as a coach at Meridian for the past year, and I have been very impressed by his recruiting ability and the way he manages his teams,” Gordon said. “I was very excited that he wanted to get closer to home and that he applied here. I fully expect him to continue his great work for the Northwest tennis programs.”
Since reviving the tennis programs ahead of the 2023 spring season, Northwest has made a presence in the national tournaments each year. The men’s program advanced to the national stage of the postseason in 2023 and 2025, while the Lady Rangers have made back-to-back appearances in the NJCAA national tournament.
In 2025, both programs made it to the NJCAA national tournaments, with the women finishing 13th and the men placing 16th. The Lady Rangers finished with a final ITA ranking of No. 15 and the Northwest men finished No. 17 nationally.
Northwest Community College Sports Information release
