COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The goal for Northwestern State entering the Texas A&M Invitational was to begin the climb toward peak performances at the end of the season. Following another solid day of competition, NSU is well on its way to accomplishing that goal.

There were plenty of examples on the day of NSU athletes showing their progress that stands to allow them to peak at the right times.

The first example came in the first event of the day the women's hammer throw.

After setting a career best in the discus on Friday, Kristin McDuffie set another personal best mark in the hammer throw at 165-10. But according to head coach Mike Heimerman, there is plenty more for the senior to show the rest of the season.

"She threw a personal best which was great, but she really didn't have her best day," Heimerman said. "She'd been doing a little better in practice so to have a bad day and still PR is a positive and means were moving in the right direction. We know there's a lot more there."

McDuffie carried the load of the throwers on the day as the focus shifted to the jumps group who had yet another quality day or performances.

The up-and-coming star of the group, Lauren-Ashley Clarke, took the momentum for the first day into perhaps one of the more impressive feats by anyone on the weekend.

The sophomore jumper not only competed in simultaneous events – the triple and high jumps – she finished in the top three in both events turning in the eighth best triple jump mark in school history of 41-10.5 and nearly setting a new career best in the high jump after clearing the 5-8.75 bar.

"For her to be able to go back and forth across the track, swap shoes, mindsets and all that and still put up the numbers she did, it's flat out impressive," Heimerman said. "To be locked in on one event and be at the top of your game is a feat in itself. Then to do it in two events that aren't that similar in the approach and take off is just phenomenal. Her future is very very bright."

Monique Walker landed a career best 38-0.75 in the triple, giving her a top-10 mark in the Southland Conference and Quindarrius Thompson stayed around the 50-foot mark taking third for in the men's triple with a jump of 50-1.75.

As the sun began to set at E.B. Cushing Stadium the temperature began to dip creating less than favorable conditions for the evening events on the track. After the long wait and declining temperatures, the NSU sprinters and runners still turned in fast times and improvements on season bests.

The women's 4x100 relay team of Robyn Byrd, Jayla Fields, Aarika Lister, and Natashia Jackson clocked a 45.74 in the first track event of the day. In that same distance in the individual races, Byrd and Fields finished their sections second and third with season best times of 12.06 and 12.07 respectively. Lister won her section with a team-best 11.8.

It was Diana Granados showing the progress and preparation for the later meets with her time in the 400.

"She's evolving with each meet and just getting stronger and stronger," Heimerman said of Granados' career best 55.65 putting her second in the Southland in the event behind teammate "Speedy" Jackson.

The 400-relay foursome of Granados, Jackons, Field and Janiel Moore turned in another good time of 3:42.49 to finish the day, a solid eight hours and 20 degrees after arriving at the stadium

"There weren't a lot of impressive times today for any team today," Heimerman said. "They were good but not great and I think that was because of the weather. The women are mentally strong and so they're going to battle against whatever. If we would have run during the day when it was warmer, I can't imagine what some of these times would have been."

The Demon men shined most in the 100 with a pair of season-best runs from Kavacion Webster (10.84) and Evan Nafe (11.12), both coming in the same race. Austin Simoneaux just missed matching his career best at 10.94, just 2/100ths off.

The highlight for the men once again came from Kennedy Harrison who, for a few minutes at least, held the facility record in the 100 with a time of 10.53. Three runners bested his performance in the final race of the day, but Harrison currently holds the fourth fastest time at Texas A&M's facility.

"It was an impressive run for him considering the conditions all the sprinters where facing," Heimerman said of Harrison's team-best time. "The other guys didn't execute the way they needed to, but coach (Adam) Pennington will watch the film, adjust training and get them back on track."

The Demons and Lady Demons continue their push towards the endgame next week in Baton Rouge at the LSU Boots Garland Invitational.