BOONEVILLE, Miss. - Northeast Mississippi Community College is doubling down on its annual preseason celebration to include each and every student-athlete on campus.

The ninth edition of Meet the Tigers will take place on Tuesday, August 19 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the quad area between Haney Union, McCoy Hall and Ramsey Hall.

This event was originally started as an unofficial kickoff to the new football season. However, it will now feature all 11 varsity athletic programs that are sponsored by Northeast.

Coaches from each sport – baseball, men's and women's basketball, cheerleading, men's and women's cross country, football, men's and women's golf, softball plus volleyball – will introduce their players to the crowd.

The Showband from Tigerland and the Tiger Dancers will provide entertainment throughout the evening. Their halftime show for the upcoming season is entitled "Echoes of 55 Years."

Northeast's cheerleading squad, which is under the direction of head coach Chasity Moore, will perform as well. The group will be co-ed for the first time in over a decade with the addition of two males to their roll.

Roster sheets for all teams will be printed for supporters to pick up. There will also be a special photo booth available for student-athletes and their families to make pictures together as a keepsake.

The 2025-26 athletic season at Northeast begins on Friday, August 22 when volleyball opens its third year of competition at the Mississippi/Alabama Crossover in Fulton. The first home date is a doubleheader for the Lady Tigers three days later.

Football starts its campaign with back-to-back road trips to East Central Community College and Southwest Mississippi Community College. The Tigers host Mississippi Delta Community College in their division opener on September 11th.