ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico—During his short time at Northwestern State thus far, sprinter Zachaeus Beard has won medals, broken school records and earned a trip to the NCAA Indoor Nationals, earning All-American honors.

Now Beard can add another achievement to his collection: compete at the United States Track and Field Indoor Championships.

The senior heads to New Mexico to compete in the 60-meter dash, which takes place Saturday. The event takes place at 3:03 p.m. If he makes the final, it will run at 4:56.

Beard is the first NSU athlete or former athlete to compete at the USATF Indoor Nationals since Natashia Jackson and Tremayne Flagler competed in 2022.
To say Beard is excited about making it to the USATF Indoor Championships is an understatement.

"Am I Excited??? I'm more excited than the donkey was to live with Shrek in Skrek 1," he said. "I'm so turnt up, it's crazy. I've been on 10,000 all week."

Beard, a 2023 Indoor Second Team All-American, holds the 60-meter dash record at NSU, running a 6.54 in his first ever meet with NSU, at the Corky Classic in 2023. He then matched that time, running unattached, at the Jarvis Scott Open in the 60m Olympic Division race, finishing first.

In the Crimson Elite to begin the indoor season, he ran a 6.65 in the prelims to finish first before placing second in the finals with a time of 6.62.

While he holds a school record and was an All-American last season, Beard doesn't have any specific goals as he heads into the race. He knows if he runs his best, everything will work itself out.

"Just making it here and competing is very big," Beard said. "I am not looking for any specific times, just looking to survive and advance. The goal for me is to win and as long as I run an honest effort, injury-free race every time I run, and live to see another race, I win.

"No matter what place I come in, if I ran the best I could on that day…again, I am winning."

Beard will be back representing NSU during the outdoor season, which begins March 9 with the Cowboy Relays on the campus of McNeese.