LUBBOCK, Texas—The Northwestern State track and field teams have one more tune-up before the Southland Conference Indoor Championships.

Following a trip to the northeast, the teams make a much shorter trip this time around, heading to the state of Texas for the Jarvis Scott Open for a two-day meet, beginning Friday on the campus of Texas Tech.

Both days of the meet are being streamed on ESPN+.

"Like always, we are hoping to see improvements in the events we have them competing in," head coach Mike Heimerman said. "We expect to keep going in the direction we want as we head into the conference championships in a few weeks."

It is the third straight year Northwestern State travels to Lubbock for an indoor meet and it would have been the fourth consecutive year, but the Matador Qualifier was canceled in 2021. The teams began the year at the Corky Classic in 2023.

The meet starts with the women's weight throw at 3 p.m. Friday. The running events start at 5 p.m. with the women's 60-meter hurdle qualifying races. It will pick up again Saturday at 10 a.m. with the women's shot put final and the running events beginning at 11 a.m. with the women's 200-meters.

If people were wondering what sprinter Sanaria Butler would do for an encore following a sensational freshman season and if she would take the next step, she has answered those questions in resounding fashion.

In her first race in the 400 during the indoor season, the sophomore set an indoor personal best, running a 54.39, the top time in the conference by nearly a full second. That time is also 19^th in the South Central region.

If that wasn't enough, Butler and her 4x400 relay team—consisting of Maygan Shaw, Vanessa Balde and Tranasia Jones—cracked the record books, clocking a 3:41.77, which is not only the top time in the SLC this season, but the third-best in program history and nearly made it to second. It is ranked No. 8 in the South Central region.

Fresh off their SLC Field Athlete of the Week honors, Madison Brown and Djimon Gumbs aim to continue strong starts to the year.

Brown is coming off a meet in which she recorded an indoor personal best in the pole vault, clearing 12-6.75 to finish on top in the event.

The height is the top mark in the SLC this season and 21st in the South Central region.

"Madison has set an indoor personal best and is just under her overall personal best," Heimerman said. "She has been so consistent this year and is really blossoming really well and we look forward to her having a great rest of indoor and then outdoor as well."

Despite feeling a bit under the weather, Gumbs won the SLC weekly honor by recording a 58-8.5 to finish first in the shot put in Boston.

Not only was that throw the best in the event, but it is also the top one in the conference this season and the seventh-best in the South Central region.

"Djimon is just bouncing back from a sickness, but he is starting to feel better and better." Heimerman said. "Hopefully we'll have some more things coming, like the old Djimon, but to go out there and throw as far as he did and win the competition after he being as sick as he was is really impressive."

Following the meet, NSU takes a week off before heading to the SLC Indoor Championships, which take place Feb. 25-26 in Birmingham, Alabama.