NATCHITOCHES – When competing for track and field team titles, events in which squads don't have competitors can make the difference. 

Northwestern State sought to fill those voids as well as add depth to its strengths with the signing of a 17-member men's and women's class. 

Eight males and nine females will join NSU's roster this coming season.  

On the men's side, NSU inked one high jumper, one hurdler and three middle distance runners in an eight-person class, events in which NSU didn't have any participants at the Southland Conference Championships earlier this month. 

Randy Kelly's (Blythewood, South Carolina) high jump personal record of 6-11 would have taken silver at the conference championships. 

Short hurdler Edvin Assarsson (Sweden) fills a gap in the 60 hurdles (8.03) and the 100 hurdles (13.89), which will lengthen to 110 hurdles in college. 

The Demons picked up a trio of middle distance runners in Stefan Klefasz (Austria), Korbin Schumate (Sanger, Texas) and Cyrus Jacobs (Port Neches, Texas). 

Klefasz has the fastest 800 meters time in the class (1:53.99) with Jacobs (1:54.75) and Schumate (1:55.40) all recording times that would have scored at the SLC Championships. 

Both Jacobs (48.12) and Klefasz (49.78) can be assets in the 400 meters while the rangy Jacobs also has bests in the 100 (10.77) and 200 (21.80). 

Schumate can extend to the 1500 with a 4:06.16. 

The Demons got deeper in short sprints with the addition of Justin Walden (Miami, Fla.) and Mikkel Johansson (Denmark). 

Walden has clocked times of 6.81 (60), 10.37 (100), 21.00 (200) and 48.37 (400). Johannson has run a 6.86 (60), 10.57 (100) and 21.55 (200). 

The throws squad signed Houston native Justin Craft with a shot put best of 60-6.75, which would have landed him a silver. 

On the women's side, adding a multis competitor and a high jumper highlight filling voids from this class, which includes four sprinters, two combo sprinter/jumpers and one pole vaulter. 

Germany's Carolin Bielert has a personal best 4,416 points in the heptathlon with event bests of 18-5.75 in the long jump and 5-5 in the high jump. 

High jumper Maison Wilbanks (DeRidder) has a best 5-5 in the high jump. 

NSU scouted rural Louisiana to find North Webster's Peyten Ware (12 foot pole vaulter). 

Two Texas state champions are part of this class as Sanaria Butler (Port Neches) captured the 6A long jump title with a 19-7.75 and Victoria Byrd (Joaquin) snatched the 2A 100 meters crown in 11.69. 

Both are combo student-athletes as Butler clocked a 54.09 in the 400 and a 41-9.75 in the triple jump. Butler's 400 and triple jump marks would have taken gold in the SLC Championships. 

Byrd counters with a 18-9.25 in the long jump and runs everything between 60 and 200 meters. 

NSU fished Sian Weller out of Klein, Texas, as a 400 meters runner who ran a 55.08. 

The Lady Demons added a sprinter/hurdler combo in Jessica Pitcher (Baton Rouge), who competes in short and long hurdles along with short sprints. She has a 7.76 personal best in the 60 meters and a 12.00 in the 100 meters in sprints. 

In a class that features six total international student-athletes, the Lady Demons signed Germany's Venessa Balde and Great Britain's Selina Farrell. 

Balde has clocked a 7.67 in the 60 and a 24.21 in the 200. 

Farrell's specialty is the 60 meters in which she clocked a 7.45 in the 60, which would have taken silver at the SLC Championships.