NEMCC selects new women’s basketball coach
BOONEVILLE, Miss. – The road to success has led Chelsey Rhodes to the campus of Northeast Mississippi Community College.
Rhodes has been selected as Northeast’s new head women’s basketball coach. She takes over one of the most tradition-rich programs at any level of collegiate athletics in the Magnolia State that boasts 31 major championships, including the 1987 national title.
“I’m really impressed with coach Rhodes’ energy, enthusiasm and passion for the student-athlete and their total development,” said Northeast president Dr. Ricky Ford. “She has total respect for the game itself and will promote Northeast at the highest level. She will bring a sense of community to our women’s basketball program.”
Rhodes comes to the City of Hospitality after serving as an assistant coach at her alma mater of Delta State University for the past four seasons. This is the first head coaching position of her professional career.
“We are happy to welcome coach Rhodes to the Northeast family,” Northeast athletic director Kent Farris said. “We feel as though she’ll be able to recruit locally with all the high schools that have strong programs in our five-county district. She has all the tools to make this a destination spot for those student-athletes.”
Rhodes got her first coaching position at the University of Central Arkansas following a sensational playing career at Delta State. Among her many awards as an athlete was Gulf South Conference (GSC) Player of the Year in 2016.
“I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Northeast family and lead the Lady Tigers basketball team,” said Rhodes. “I am looking forward to meeting the team, all of my coworkers and jumping into everything this job entails.”
Rhodes returned to the Mississippi delta prior to the 2018-19 campaign and instantly made an impact. The Lady Statesmen won 41 games in her first two years as a staff member, including a solid 24-13 record against GSC competition.
Delta State advanced to the championship game of the 2020 GSC Tournament as the number three seed. The Lady Statesmen were awarded an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, which was eventually cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Rhodes helped the Lady Statesmen make their 26th all-time GSC Tournament semifinal appearance during her final campaign with the team after defeating the University of West Florida in the quarterfinals.
The Monticello, Ark., native instructed seven All-GSC selections and three All-Americans during her tenure at Delta State. That includes Zyaire Ewing, who earned All-American laurels twice by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
She was part of an incredibly successful two-year period at Central Arkansas while working for coach Sandra Rushing. The Sugar Bears compiled a 51-15 record and received two postseason berths during Rhodes’ stay in her home state.
Central Arkansas captured the 2017 Southland Conference Tournament title with triumphs over Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi and Stephen F. Austin (Texas) University. The Sugar Bears automatically qualified for the NCAA Tournament with a first round matchup at the University of Texas.
Rhodes and the Sugar Bears barely missed another NCAA Tournament bid during her first season as a full-time assistant. However, Central Arkansas accepted an invitation to the Women’s Basketball Invitational (WBI) and reached the championship contest.
Eight Sugar Bears garnered All-Southland distinction under the tutelage of Rhodes. That list is headlined by Maggie Proffitt, who was the runner-up in voting for Southland Player of the Year after averaging 15.2 points and leading the league with a 91.8 free throw percentage.
Rhodes is one of the most decorated student-athletes in Delta State history. She was three times named to the All-GSC first-team, twice tabbed to the All-GSC Tournament team and twice listed as an All-American by the WBCA.
She was recognized as the 2013 GSC Freshman of the Year after posting 11.5 points and guiding the Lady Statesmen to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16. Her productivity increased each season to 14.3 points per game as a sophomore and 15.7 points one year later.
Rhodes blossomed into one of the top players in the country during her senior campaign. She finished sixth in NCAA Division II with an average of 20.8 points, 12th in made free throws with 152 and 13th in minutes played per contest at 37.1.
She topped the GSC in the statistical categories of scoring, field goals made, field goal attempts and free throw percentage. Rhodes was second in the league in free throws made, free throw attempts, steals and minutes per game.
Rhodes was the Most Outstanding Player for the 2016 GSC Tournament after scoring 29 points in Delta State’s championship triumph over Union (Tenn.) University. She was also acknowledged as the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) South Region Player of the Year.
She was a two-time GSC Player of the Week. Rhodes started in 114 of the 116 matchups that she appeared in a green-and-white uniform while racking up 1,802 points, which still remains sixth best all-time for the Lady Statesmen.
