Northeast Mississippi Community College Athletics

Andy Greening's leadership and drive to win led to great successes both as a multi-sport athlete and a coach at Northeast Mississippi Community College.

The Corinth native arrived at Northeast in the fall of 1975 to play football for hall of fame headman W.B. "Bill" Ward. He also suited up for two seasons of baseball as well.

Greening, who was listed as a 240-pound lineman, was voted by his peers as one of two team captains going into his sophomore campaign. The Tigers went 4-6 overall that year with three wins coming by single digits.

He was a first baseman for the Tigers in the springtime. Greening was presented with the prestigious Tiger Award, which is still given annually to a player from each sport at Northeast that consistently represents themselves and their team in a positive manner.

Greening came home to Northeast in 1998 to serve as defensive coordinator under coach Laurin Collins. He guided the Tigers achieve unparalleled prosperity on the gridiron over the next decade.

Northeast started its return to prominence in 2002 by claiming the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division title. It snapped a 22-year stretch between championships and a 15-year playoff drought for the Tigers.

Greening's defense was the backbone behind each of Northeast's seven wins that season. The Tigers allowed only 10 points on average while conceding a touchdown or less in six of their 10 total contests.

Northeast held three opponents scoreless, including Coahoma Community College, East Mississippi Community College and Mississippi Delta Community College. It is still tied for the most shutouts in a single year in program history.

Greening was promoted to head coach at his alma mater the following year. His teams captured 22 victories, which at the time of his departure was second most at Northeast behind only his mentor in Ward.

He now sits as the fourth winningest coach in school history in terms of overall triumphs. His winning percentage is the second best since the program was reinstated in 1968.

His 2004-05 teams were among the tops in the country. They combined to post a 14-5 record, including an 11-1 mark inside the MACJC North Division to secure back-to-back championships.

The 2005 edition of the Tigers completed the college's lone undefeated regular season. Northeast went 7-0 and rose to as high as No. 2 in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) rankings.

The Tigers boasted one of the top 10 rated offensive and defensive units in the nation. Seventeen men from that team alone moved on to four-year institutions.

Northeast accepted its first-ever invitation to a NJCAA bowl game to close that special year. The Tigers met Trinity Valley (Texas) Community College in the Pilgrim's Pride Bowl Classic in Mount Pleasant, Texas.

Chris Bradwell was perhaps the most decorated athlete to star under Greening at Northeast. He was tabbed as the NJCAA Region 23 Defensive Player of the Year along with Most Valuable Player of the Pilgrim's Pride Bowl Classic.

Five Tigers that played for Greening eventually signed with NFL franchises. They include Mario Addison (Chicago), Bruce Hall (Buffalo), Michael Ricks (Baltimore), Justin Sanders (Detroit) and Bradwell (Tampa Bay).

Addison went on to became the first representative of Northeast to compete in the Super Bowl when his Carolina Panthers met the Denver Broncos at San Francisco's Levi's Stadium in 2016.

Greening was a two-time MACJC Coach of the Year with the Tigers. He has also served as headman at nearby Alcorn Central, Amory and Booneville high schools as part of a 40-plus year coaching career.

He left Northeast to take the position of defensive coordinator at the University of West Alabama. Greening helped the Tigers reach the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time since 1975.