Northwest’s Beattie Earns Third Straight Region 23 Coach of the Year Honor

Northwest Mississippi Community College women’s soccer coach James Beattie has been named Region 23 Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season after leading the Rangers to yet another regional championship.

Under Beattie’s tenure, Northwest boasts a remarkable 60-1-3 record over the past three years, winning three straight Region 23 titles and maintaining one of the nation’s top junior college programs. This 2025 season, the Rangers extended their winning streak to an almost unbelievable 33 consecutive matches and remained unbeaten in 34 straight, all while recording 10 shutouts and scoring three or more goals in all but four games.

Beattie credited his coaching staff and the college’s leadership for sustaining the program’s success.“This award means a lot, not just from an individual standpoint, but also a team standpoint, that we have been able to sustain a level of success and consistency over the last few years,” Beattie said. “Working with such great groups and staffs [sic] over these last three years has made the past seasons a joy to be a part of.”

He also credited full-time assistant Brandon Boren with the team’s striking success; Boren has been on staff throughout the three-year run.

“[Boren] obviously has been key to everything. We are very different in almost every way, which I think is really good for the group,” Beattie reflected. “The balance of personalities within the coaching staff is key.” 

The Rangers’ dominance has germinated six NJCAA All-Americans over the past two seasons, including current MACCC scoring leader Emma Jensen (27 goals, 8 assists) and Caroline Perkins (16 goals, 10 assists), who ranks third in the conference.

Northwest will travel to Wichita, Kansas, this weekend to compete in the 2025 NJCAA Division II National Tournament, which begins Sunday morning.

Author administrator Corinne Ellington