NATCHITOCHES – Lynell Washington has been a track queen in each of her first three indoor seasons.

After breaking NSU's 60-meter school record as a true freshman in 2020, Washington followed that up with Southland Conference gold in 2021.

The New Orleans native put those two together this indoor season, breaking her own 60 meters record (7.32) before snatching her second straight SLC title in the short sprint.

Not bad for a Landry-Walker High sprinter who didn't use starting blocks as a senior, but now Washington wants to translate that indoor success outdoors in the sunshine.

NSU starts its outdoor season Friday and Saturday at the TCU Invitational, a meet in which Demons and Lady Demons have historically run fast times. The men's and women's discus will take place Friday with all other events slated for Saturday.

"I'm extremely excited about being healthy this outdoor season," said Washington, who lost her first outdoor season to COVID-19 with her second outdoor campaign being marred by a hamstring injury. "I told (NSU sprints coach Adam Pennington) that if I ever got healthy (this past outdoor season), I would cause some damage.

"My teammates have been supporting me, and I can't wait to get it popping and see what we're going to do."

Perhaps best suited for the 100 meters, Washington should take aim at more conference and national postseason accolades given a full outdoor season.

"Lynell finally has been relatively healthy and has had the chance to fully practice," said Pennington, who added that Washington's accomplishments to date are impressive even with the limitations. "She's had more opportunity to train than in previous seasons, and she knows what she's capable of.

"From a competitive standpoint, she's always ready. She's a gamer, and she runs with a point to prove every time she races. She should carry her indoors success over to outdoors this season.

The third-year sophomore's competitiveness was particularly on display in the 200 meters.

She stumbled in the final curve but still caught an opposing sprinter to get on the podium with bronze.

"I tried to go to another gear, and my legs were moving too fast down the curve," Washington said as she laughed. "I looked and saw the girl right there, and I said to myself, 'She ain't beating me, I have to make the podium.'

"I sprinted it out and finished strong."

Washington's ample guts could be seen in the 2021 SLC Outdoor Championships in which the hobbled sprinter snatched the last spot in the 100 meter finals and limped to the finals finish the line to score a point.

The Lady Demons finished second in outdoor and third in the most recent indoor championships, continuing a streak of 11 straight conference meets with a top-three finish.

But the women are still looking for their first team title, something Washington and Co. desperately want to bring back to Natchitoches.

She's the likely sprinter to take over the leadership mantel left by 19-time SLC gold medalist Natashia Jackson, who will compete for Team USA at the World Athletics Indoor Championships on Sunday as part of the 4x400 relay pool.

Washington is part of an NSU crew that features seniors Taylor Finley and Taylor Shaw (Louisiana Tech transfer), juniors Claudasha Watson (Louisiana Tech transfer) and Aarika Lister, sophomore Erin Wilson (three-time relay gold medalist) and freshman Maygan Shaw (400 meters gold medalist) among others.

"We're using (those past championship performances) as motivation, and we're putting everything on the line to go compete for a title," Washington said. "My teammates push me and I push them, and we're all getting better and running with more confidence.

"For me, I've got the first 60 meters down pretty well. I've just got to build to the 100 meters and work on my finish."

To say that Washington's start is her strength just three years into using starting blocks is an example of the growth she's experienced.

An All-Metro basketball guard out of New Orleans, Washington almost didn't pick college track in favor of round ball.

But Pennington said even though track was sort of a "bonus sport" in high school, Washington's basketball experience ultimately has helped her be a better college sprinter.

"The jumps and lateral movement that basketball requires, it's things track coaches are a little scared of because of injury, but those things have benefited her," Pennington said. "There's a lot of things Lynell couldn't do in her first two years, but she's adjusted to the training program, and you can see her progress.

"She won a silver medal in the Class 5A 100 meters without blocks, and even though there's still a lot of work to do, her potential is incredible. More importantly, she's taking track more seriously and has learned to love it."

Washington did have to choose between basketball and track, but her family's athletic history left no doubt.

She watched older sister Ashanti Duckworth run track at Behrman Stadium in Algiers before Duckworth went on to a successful college career at Grambling State.

Her mother Lenora was also a noted sprinter.

"I started running track at three years old, and it's in my blood," Washington said. "I wanted to be like my sister Ashanti, but I wanted to be better.

"I knew I had a choice to make on signing day, but I knew I wanted to follow in my sister's footsteps, who's my role model."