The Ranger Hour Sponsored by BankFirst

Northwest Mississippi Community College takes center stage on this episode of the Bank First Ranger Hour as host Gary Darby highlights a busy month of arts and athletics across the district. Gary spotlights the annual L’Etant Christmas Art Sale in the Fine Arts Gallery on the Senatobia campus, where student-created original works—from drawings and prints to pottery and sculpture—are available just...

Dr. Emily Davis, director at the Advising and Retention Center (ARC) at Northwest Mississippi Community College, joins the Bank First Ranger Hour to break down everything students and families need to know about spring 2026 enrollment. She explains how ARC supports student success from day one to graduation through personalized academic plans, transfer guidance, and proactive outreach when student...

Ricky Skaggs, the legendary Grammy-winning bluegrass and country artist, joins the show ahead of his concert at the Heindl Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Northwest Mississippi Community College. In a warm, story-filled interview conducted by Hayden King, Skaggs looks back on his musical beginnings, singing harmony at home, getting pulled onstage by Bill Monroe as a child, working...

Guest: Noah Barnett (NWCC Theatre, Sophomore — Musical Theatre Pathway) Award-winning actor Noah Barnett (Alley Awards “Best Supporting Actor” for  A Doll’s House ) shares how a required high-school class sparked his passion for the stage, why he chose Northwest’s close-knit theatre program, and what it’s taken to land his dream role: Buddy Laymon in  The Diviners &nb...

Coach LaTaryl Williams (NWCC Women’s Basketball) Head coach LaTaryl Williams previews NWCC’s fast-paced, three-happy style heading into the Nov. 1 opener, built around all-conference forward Lauren Story (double-double threat), a bigger sophomore frontcourt, and floor general Layla Hampton at point. Williams recaps a productive 3–1 preseason (Memphis jamboree + campus...

Coach Will Lummis (NWCC Rodeo) Champion steer wrestler and Northwest rodeo coach Will Lummis recaps a high-tempo fall: three college rodeos complete, the UAM Boll Weevil Stampede in Monticello, AR next, and a sharpened mental game to turn frequent short-round berths into points. Lummis spotlights Dakota Smith (already tracking toward College National Finals...

This episode spotlights the balance of athletics and academics at Northwest Mississippi Community College. Host Gary Darby recaps current Ranger schedules and highlights upcoming Heindl Center performances, then welcomes two guests who exemplify championship performance in the classroom and on the field. Guest: Wenn Sanders (Women’s Soccer, Miss Northwest, Pathfinder) Wenn Sanders shares what it’s...

On this episode of the Ranger Hour Podcast, host Gary Darby sits down with  Dr. Courtney McMullen , the new director of the Associate Degree Nursing Program at Northwest Mississippi Community College. A proud graduate of Northwest herself, Dr. McMullen shares her journey from student to faculty member, and now to program director. She discusses the rigorous training that has made “Northwest n...

This episode spotlights student success and competitive excellence at Northwest Mississippi Community College. Host Gary Darby covers fall sports headlines (volleyball’s winning streak, top-ranked women’s soccer, men’s soccer momentum, and football’s home matchup) and campus arts updates from the Heindl Center, then dives into two feature conversations that showcase NWCC’s growth in rodeo and nurs...

Northwest Mississippi Community College athletics take center stage as host Gary Darby previews No. 3 Northwest Football’s trip to East Mississippi in Scooba, with kickoff at 7:00 PM and full coverage on Ranger TV via nwccrangers.com. The show also spotlights red-hot fall sports: Women’s Soccer remains unbeaten and ranked No. 1, Men’s Soccer is riding back-to-back wins, and Volleyball has sta...

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 —...

Head Coach  Benjy Parker  previews No. 3 Northwest Ranger Football’s season opener at Pearl River (tonight, 7 p.m., Poplarville). He reflects on 18 four-year signees, back-to-back national academic crowns (team GPA 3.25), recruiting standards, and winning the line of scrimmage. Parker also updates the QB room—transfers  Aiden Glover  (Missouri) and  Nico Fann  (Mercer...

Lance Burton , world-renowned master magician, joins the Ranger Hour ahead of his upcoming performance at the Heindel Center for the Performing Arts in Senatobia. With a storied 30-year career headlining in Las Vegas—including record-setting appearances on  The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson —Lance reflects on his journey from Kentucky to the Vegas stage, and now to his first-ever perfor...

In the first half of the show, host Gary Darby sits down with  Allison Burchett , head coach of the Northwest Mississippi Community College volleyball team. Burchett reflects on the team's historic 2024 season, which included their first-ever MACCC championship and a 16-match win streak. She discusses the culture of hard work and team unity that drove their success, and previews the 2025 seas...

In this episode, host Gary Darby is joined by Amaura Calhoun, a recent graduate of Northwest Mississippi Community College and summer orientation leader. Amaura reflects on her experience as a student at Northwest, her role helping new students transition into college life, and how campus involvement—including her work as a Pathfinder—helped shape her leadership skills. She also shares h...

In this episode of the  Bank First Ranger Hour , host Gary Darby welcomes  Sabria Jackson , a recent Northwest Mississippi Community College graduate and summer orientation leader. A native of Olive Branch, Sabria reflects on her journey from initially resisting Northwest to ultimately embracing the college as her academic home. She discusses her experiences in the  engineering prog...

In this episode of the  Bank First Ranger Hour , host Gary Darby is joined by  Alex Hogue , Advanced Manufacturing Specialist at Northwest Mississippi Community College. Hogue provides an in-depth look at Northwest’s  Industrial Engineering Technology programs , which are offered at both the main campus in Senatobia and The Concourse in Batesville. He discusses how the college’s inv...

In this episode of the  Bank First Ranger Hour , host Gary Darby is joined by Dr. Andrew Dale, Associate Vice President for Community Relations at Northwest Mississippi Community College. Dr. Dale discusses the exciting developments at the DeSoto Campus, including the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new 42,000-square-foot Ranger Center and the unveiling of the new entrance...

In this episode of the  Bank First Ranger Hour , host Gary Darby welcomes  Ryan Mounce , the new head coach of the Northwest Mississippi Community College tennis program. Mounce shares his background growing up in Oxford, Mississippi, and his coaching journey through Lafayette High School and Meridian Community College. He discusses his individualized coaching philosophy, upcoming roster...

On this episode of the Bank First Ranger Hour, host Gary Darby welcomes Blake Bostick for an exclusive preview of the Heindl Center’s Fall 2025 season. Bostick shares highlights of a dynamic lineup kicking off August 23 with master magician Lance Burton and spanning through December with holiday favorite Postmodern Jukebox. He discusses the diversity of the season’s acts, which include Motown lege...

On this episode of the Bank First Ranger Hour, Dr. Tonyalle Rush, Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management at Northwest Mississippi Community College, shares updates on student-focused events and enrollment services.  She highlights upcoming youth cheer and dance camps hosted by Northwest’s national championship teams, emphasizing their affordability and the opportunity f...

On this episode of the  Bank First Ranger Hour , host Gary Darby welcomes  Jenny Hurt , Assistant Director of Recruiting at Northwest Mississippi Community College. Hurt shares key information about upcoming orientation dates for all NWCC campuses, including Senatobia, Southaven, and Oxford. She outlines the simple enrollment process, financial aid opportunities, and scholarships availab...

Dr. Andrew Dale  joins the show to discuss summer at Northwest Mississippi Community College. He outlines a variety of upcoming youth programs, including the innovative START Camp (Science, Technology, Arts, Recreation, and Tools), cheer and dance camps with national championship teams, and the benefits of enrolling in summer academic sessions. Dr. Dale also highlights affordable transfer opp...

In this episode of the Bank First Ranger Hour, host Gary Darby welcomes Northwest Mississippi Community College Sports Information Director Brian Lentz for a deep dive into the college’s spring athletics season. The conversation spans every major sport, with postseason updates, individual accolades, and historic achievements across baseball, softball, golf, tennis, and rodeo. Lentz opens with a re...

In this episode of the Bank First Ranger Hour, host Gary Darby welcomes Dr. Michael Heindl, President of Northwest Mississippi Community College, for a wide-ranging conversation on the institution’s record-breaking enrollment growth and ongoing capital improvements. Dr. Heindl highlights how Northwest has achieved ten consecutive semesters of enrollment increases, including a 43% rise in career an...