NATCHITOCHES -- Jermeka McBride's black Northwestern State uniform rippled as she has sprinted her way to a distinguished college career in her two years as a Lady Demon.
 
But later this month, McBride will don a color that's woven even deeper into the fabric of her athletics career and her life.
 
McBride will be shrouded in the aquamarine blue of her native Bahamas for the first time as she will participate on at least one of the Bahamian relay teams in the upcoming International Association of Athletics Federations World Relays.
 
The relays, which will feature more than 700 athletes from 42 nations, will be held in the Bahamian capital of Nassau from April 22-23.
 
"I am excited to represent my home country," McBride said. "I had an opportunity to represent the Bahamas before, but I had difficulties.
 
"It's going to feel great to run for my country. It's been a while since I've been on a relay team, but I'm looking forward to it very much."
 
McBride will run on one of two 4X100 Bahamas relay squads with a chance to compete in the 4X200 relay as well depending on how she performs in "training camps" leading up to the event.
 
Adam Pennington, NSU's associate head coach and sprints coach, said McBride could lock up a spot on the Bahamas "A" Team if she can replicate her 11.45 time in the 100 meters.
 
"This is huge for Jermeka," Pennington said. "The Bahamian sprints are so strong -- it would be like making it on the U.S. team.
 
"We wanted to get her close to her personal best time, and she's competed in several meets unattached this spring."
 
McBride finished her NSU career this past indoors season, which culminated in a bronze in the 200 meters at the Southland Conference Championships.
 
She swept gold in the 100 and 200 meters at the 2016 SLC Outdoors Championships, which resulted in the SLC Female Runner of the Year honor.
 
Pennington said McBride's NSU accomplishments caught the eye of Bahamian native Bernard Newbold, an assistant coach at Southeastern Louisiana.
 
"The Bahamian track coaches have kept tabs on her, and she ran at the Bahamian Olympic Trials last summer," Pennington said. "She's a very capable runner when she diets and trains right.
"She's come such a long way, running a 12.9 when she first got here to getting down into the mid-11s now (in the 100 meters). She has a lot of room to grow, and if she can get around 10.9 or 11.0, then those pro contracts would start rolling in."
 
McBride wants to be a professional sprinter, and a strong showing in the next 10 days and at the world relays could be a stepping stone to a career.
 
"Growing up, I always wanted to be a professional athlete -- that is my goal," McBride said. "Hopefully I can launch my pro career if I can run well and impress somebody at these relays."
 
McBride will have the support of her family and friends in Nassau, but it's not the most conventional of trips from her home on Moore's Island.
 
Moore's Island is a nine-hour boat ride north of Nassau, a trip McBride has made many times.

"The boat ride is fun only with friends and family," McBride said. "When I compete in the Bahamas, my mom always comes to support whether she has to take a boat or fly.
 
"She'll be there to see her baby girl run for the Bahamas."
 
McBride can also support her Moore's Island All-Age alma mater teams who will be running in high school meets.
 
She says she gets a lot of questions since she started attending school in America and running collegiate track.
 
"A lot of the young girls look up to me, and I try to send them down the right path," McBride said. "Even though sometimes they might follow some of their so-called friends, I try to lead them down this path.
 
"If they are into school, I tell them I can talk to my coaches -- who know other coaches in America. I started at a JUCO (Southwest Christian College), so I think it's better to start at a JUCO and then go to a Division I school."