Northwest Mississippi Community College Celebrates a Decade of Football Success Under Coach Benjy Parker
Senatobia, Miss. — Benjy Parker has led Northwest Mississippi Community College’s football team for a decade. Since taking over as head coach in 2016, Parker has guided the Rangers to an 85-23 record, making his tenure the second-longest in program history, according to school officials.
His winning percentage of .787 is the best in school history, surpassing coaches Bobby Ray Franklin and Ricky Woods. Northwest has qualified for the MACCC playoffs every year during Parker’s tenure and reached the conference finals eight times in 10 seasons.
In 2025, the Rangers finished 10-2 and won the MACCC title for the second consecutive year. Overall, they have claimed half of the MACCC/Region 23 titles in the past decade and qualified for the NJCAA playoffs four times since 2021.
The team also excels academically. The Rangers received NJCAA and MACCC Academic Team of the Year awards in 2021, 2023, and 2024. They also earned MACCC Academic Team of the Year honors in 2016 and 2020. During this period, 28 players earned NJCAA All-American honors, including five after the 2025 season.
Northwest’s academic success extends to individual awards as well. The team has produced 110 NJCAA All-Academic selections, all maintaining GPAs above 3.6. Seven players have been named CoSIDA/CSC Academic All-Americans, with four representing the school in the 2025-26 college division.
Many former Rangers have advanced to NCAA Division I programs or the NFL. Since 2016, 226 players have moved on to four-year colleges, with 33 signing with four-year schools in 2025 alone. Of those, nine signed with Power 5 programs, including 23 who joined Southeastern Conference schools. Seventeen players have reached the NFL, with nine active rosters heading into the 2026 season.
Northwest’s 2026 season begins August 27 at Jones College. The home opener against Mississippi Gulf Coast is set for September 3 at Bobby Franklin Field, a rematch of the 2025 MACCC championship game won by the Rangers 16-13. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tickets for home games are available online, and fans can follow the team on social media or at nwccrangers.com for updates. A full season preview will be released in August.
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