Bio

Don Edwards left behind a storied legacy within the Northwest
Lady Rangers basketball program.
After serving as the assistant women’s coach under the late
Harry Adair from 1983-87, Edwards took over the reins of head
coach and spent 32 seasons at the helm, guiding Northwest to
18 NJCAA Region XXIII and three NJCAA National Tournament
appearances, as well as a pair of MACJC championships in 1995
and 1996. He posted 23 winning seasons and four seasons with 20
or more wins.
Edwards compiled a 468-335 (.583) record and a 230-164 (.584)
division record, leaving Northwest as the program’s all-time
winningest coach.

Edwards was named NJCAA Region XXIII and District 16 Coach of the Year in 1990, 1996, 1998 and 2005,
MACJC Coach of the Year in 1989 and 1990 and was MAC Women's Basketball Coach of the Year in 1990,
1995 and 1996.
A total of 61 players signed or played at the four-year level during Edwards' head coaching tenure, most
notably second-leading all-time scorer Nikita Taylor (Union University), Chatica Hathaway (Ole Miss) and
Danada Smith (San Jose State). Several others have continued their careers with several Division I programs,
including Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Auburn and Arkansas State.
In addition to his duties as women's basketball coach, Edwards also led the Northwest men's golf program for
23 years and was twice named MACJC Golf Coach of the Year.
Edwards came to Northwest from the now-defunct West Panola Academy at Batesville, where he served as the
boys' and girls' basketball coach, golf coach and athletic director for eight years. Named Coach of the Year a
total of six times, he coached in two academy All-Star games.
His record as a high school coach was 246-56 with girls and 162-82 for boys. Edwards' girls' teams finished in
the top four in the state for six years, capturing the championship three times.