Northwest Mississippi Women’s Tennis Named NJCAA Academic Team of the Year

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Northwest Mississippi Community College women’s tennis team has been named the NJCAA Academic Team of the Year for 2025-26, marking the first time the program has received this distinction, according to the NJCAA announcement.

Coach Ryan Mounce, in his first year at Northwest, led the team to the Region 23 semifinals in April and a seventh-place finish at the NJCAA Division II National Championships in May. The team posted a collective GPA of 3.85, surpassing competitors from Coastal Alabama-North, Weatherford, Jones, and USC-Sumter, which had GPAs ranging from 3.71 to 3.78, the NJCAA said.

Northwest Athletic Director Jake Gordon expressed pride in the team’s achievement, noting their dedication and academic excellence. Athletic academic advisor Charlesy Kennedy praised Coach Mounce for pushing student-athletes to excel both on the court and in the classroom. The team’s success was part of a broader academic effort, with three other Northwest teams receiving conference honors for high GPAs in their sports.

Earlier this month, three Northwest teams earned recognition from the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference for their academic achievements. These included volleyball with a 3.77 GPA, women’s soccer at 3.73, and women’s tennis with a 3.85 GPA. Overall, 196 student-athletes from Northwest earned spots on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for Fall 2025, with 157 recognized for Spring 2026.

Additionally, 102 student-athletes achieved NJCAA All-Academic honors for the 2024-25 academic year, with 29 earning First Team distinctions for maintaining a GPA of 3.60 or higher. The NJCAA’s All-Academic teams are divided into three tiers based on GPA: 4.00 for First Team, 3.80-3.99 for Second Team, and 3.60-3.79 for Third Team. The full list of award winners and academic teams can be found on the NJCAA website.

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