Northeast Mississippi Community College Athletics

THE OFFICIAL HOME OF THE NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE TIGERS

Fri, 04/19 | Baseball at Meridian Community College L, 6-4 (Final) BX
Fri, 04/19 | Baseball at Meridian Community College W, 13-6 (Final) BX
Sat, 04/20 | Softball vs. Meridian Community College W, 8-0 (Final - 5 innings) BX | V
Sat, 04/20 | Softball vs. Meridian Community College W, 8-1 (Final) BX | V
Mon, 04/22 | Men's Golf Northeast Mississippi Community College at NJCAA Gulf District Tournament - Round One - 6th/6 (Final)
Tue, 04/23 | Men's Golf Northeast Mississippi Community College at NJCAA Gulf District Tournament - Round Two - 6th/6 (Final)
Wed, 04/24 | Baseball vs. Mississippi Delta Community College W, 10-0 (Final - 8 innings) BX | V
Wed, 04/24 | Baseball vs. Mississippi Delta Community College L, 4-3 (Final - 11 innings) BX | V
Wed, 04/24 | Men's Golf Northeast Mississippi Community College at NJCAA Gulf District Tournament - Round Three - 6th/6 (Final)
Wed, 04/24 | Softball at Mississippi Delta Community College W, 5-4 (Final) BX
Wed, 04/24 | Softball at Mississippi Delta Community College W, 6-2 (Final) BX
Sat, 04/27 | Baseball at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College W, 12-6 (Final) BX
Sat, 04/27 | Baseball at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College L, 5-4 (Final) BX
Sat, 04/27 | Softball vs. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College W, 4-0 (Final) BX | V
Sat, 04/27 | Softball vs. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College W, 10-5 (Final) BX | V
Tue, 04/30 | Softball at Itawamba Community College W, 5-3 (Final) BX | V
Fri, 05/03 | Softball at Copiah-Lincoln Community College L, 6-0 (Final) BX | V
Sat, 05/04 | Baseball at East Central Community College L, 6-4 (Final) BX | V
Sat, 05/04 | Softball vs. Hinds Community College W, 6-2 (Final) BX | V
Sat, 05/04 | Softball vs. Louisiana State University Eunice L, 2-1 (Final) BX | V
Sun, 05/05 | Baseball at East Central Community College (2:30 PM) V
Mon, 05/06 | Baseball at East Central Community College (2:30 PM) V

Will Brand

Title:

Assistant Baseball Coach

City:

Booneville

State:

ZIP Code:

38829

Phone:

662-720-7180

Email:

tbrand@nemcc.edu

Will Brand is beginning his sixth season overall as an assistant coach with the Northeast Mississippi Community College baseball program.

Overseeing the Tigers’ pitchers is Brand’s top priority. He had Northeast’s staff rolling during his first year as a full-time assistant in 2020 before the worldwide coronavirus pandemic ended that season prematurely.

The Tigers had a team earned run average (ERA) of 3.02 and accounted for 10.37 strikeouts per nine innings at the conclusion of non-conference play. That production helped Northeast rise into the top 10 of the national rankings.

Brand’s best staff over a complete season so far is the Tigers’ 2022 edition, which boasted a 5.51 ERA and 10.33 punchouts per nine. Colby Holcombe led that group by setting a new school record with 115.

Holcombe was recognized with Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) Pitcher of the Year and All-American accolades. He is currently in the starting rotation at Mississippi State University.

Northeast tied the program mark for most wins in a season with 33 last spring. Four Tiger hurlers signed scholarships with NCAA Division I institutions after that historic season, including Jackson Conn and Davis Oswalt to the University of Louisiana at Monroe plus Aidan Foeller (Southern Illinois University) and Matthew Bullard (University of Alabama at Birmingham).

Bullard in particular had a special year. He finished one victory shy of becoming Northeast’s inaugural 10-game winner while striking out 56 batters compared to only 14 walks in 73.2 innings.

The Hickory native was a standout pitcher himself during his playing days. Brand was the 2013 Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC) Class 4A Co-Player of the Year after guiding Newton County High School to the state championship series.

Brand went 12-2 as a senior in 20 total appearances with 15 starts. He struck out 101 batters compared to just 12 walks in 99.2 innings of work with a sensational 0.91 earned run average (ERA).

He was also a MAC Class 4A All-State first-team selection during his last campaign with the Cougars in which they met Lewisburg High School for the state crown at Trustmark Park, which is the home of the Double-A Mississippi Braves.

The 6-3 lefty opened his collegiate career at Jones College. He was part of the 2016 edition of the Bobcats that compiled a 54-9 overall record and won the national championship over GateWay (Ariz.) Community College.

Brand appeared in two games at the world series at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Okla. He tossed 2.1 frames in a triumph over McHenry County (Ill.) College and earned a save during Jones’ semifinal victory against Sinclair (Ohio) Community College.

He compiled a 3-1 mark as a sophomore for the Bobcats with a 3.24 ERA in 17 outings, which included four starts at the beginning of the season. Brand actually toed the rubber against the Tigers on April 2, 2016 at Harold T. White Field and threw one scoreless inning.

Brand signed a NCAA Division I scholarship with the University of Central Arkansas following his tenure at Jones. He appeared in 38 contests in primarily a relief role during the 2017-18 campaigns with the Bears.

He picked up his first victory in a Central Arkansas uniform on February 28, 2017 at Tennessee Tech University. Brand went on to win his final three decisions that year against Mississippi Valley State University and twice versus the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR).

Brand recorded a career-high six strikeouts three times, including twice during his junior season in matchups at the University of the Incarnate Word (Texas) and Missouri State University.

He added triumphs to his resume during his final year at Central Arkansas against the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) and the University of New Orleans (La.). His overall record with the Bears was 6-6 with four saves.

Brand wielded a solid 2.5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio with a cumulative ERA of 3.62 while at Central Arkansas. He also committed just one error defensively during his stay in Conway, Ark.

Brand comes from an athletic family. His dad, Bill, was a two-sport star at East Central Community College while his mom, Rhonda, was a member of the softball program at Mississippi State University.

He holds an Associate’s degree from Jones and a Bachelor’s degree from Central Arkansas. Brand and his wife Madi married in July 2020 and have two children, son Baker and daughter Blake.