BIRMINGHAM, Alabama—When people think what are qualities most important for a team in order to win a team championship, balance is right near the top of the list.

The Northwestern State track & field teams have just that, as they aim to capture the conference crown, as the Demons and Lady Demons head to Alabama for the Southland Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Birmingham Crossplex.

The two-day event begins at 8:30 a.m. Sunday with the pentathlon. The running events start at noon and field events take place at 1 p.m. Action picks up Monday at 9 a.m. with the heptathlon.

NSU's women have finished in the top three in the last 11 indoor and outdoor SLC Championships but have not been able to earn the top spot.

Both squads are deep and talented, led by the sprints groups.

"Our bread and butter is the sprints," head coach Mike Heimerman said. "That is where most of our scoring will come from. Coach (Adam) Pennington has done a phenomenal job with the sprinters and I expect that unit to keep the tradition going at this meet."

On the women's side, NSU has the top time in four events, led by Maygan Shaw and Lynell Washington.

Washington leads the conference in both the 60-meters and 200-meters, while Shaw leads the SLC in 400-meters and is one of the four on the conference-leading 4x400-meter relay team.

"The women are a ferocious group," Heimerman said. "We've been really close as a team to win the team title the last several years. This year, the team looks really good, led by the sprinters. It's a young and talented group."

Shaw ranks second, right behind Washington, in the 200-meters. NSU has four of the top five in the 200-meters overall, as the pair is also joined by Vanessa Balde (3^rd) and Aarika Lister (5^th).
Lister also ranks second in the 60-meters.

In her freshman season, Sanaria Butler has come in and made her mark. In addition to being a member of the conference-leading 4x400-meter relay team. She also ranks right behind Shaw in the 400-meters.

Butler is also a key part of the field teams as well, recording a second-place finish in the conference in the triple jump, which she earned in the last meet at the LSU Twilight. She is also fifth in the triple jump.

On the men's side, Simon Wulff's 20.69 time in the 200-meters leads the conference. His time is 0.41 better than second place. To put it in perspective, there is more of a difference between Wulff and second place than there is between second place and ninth place.

Wulff is also fourth in the 60-meters, as he and Zachaeus Beard provide the Demons a powerful 1-2 punch at sprints. Beard held the SLC in the 60-meters before being narrowly passed by J.T. Smith of Texas A&M-Commerce.

Beard's time is tied for fifth in the country with a time of 6.54 in the 60-meters.

While the sprinters take many of the headlines, the field athletes can help earn the teams the conference crown.

Twins Djimon and Diamante Gumbs lead the male throwers.

Djimon Gumbs is the conference leader in the shot put with a distance of 59-0, more than two feet better than second place.

Diamante Gumbs takes part in both the shot put and weight throw, ranking in the top four in the conference in both events.

Overall, NSU has four of the top nine finishers in the shot put, as the Gumbs twins are joined by one of the many talented freshmen Justin Craft (7^th) and sophomore Tarajh Hudson (9^th).

In the shot put on the women's side, NSU has three of the top seven in the conference, led by Carnitra Mackey, who ranks third. Deanmonique Granville and Olivia Valliere rank fourth and seventh, respectively.

Heading into conference championships, Heimerman is excited and likes where the Demons and Lady Demons are.

"I like where the team is at," he said. "I told them earlier that I wouldn't trade this team for anybody. This is one of the most supportive and exciting teams I have coached in my 26 years."