NATCHITOCHES—A pair of top three finishes in the Southland Conference Indoor Championships means a collection of awards for the Northwestern State track and field teams.

Five Northwestern State athletes garnered a total of seven superlative awards, as the Indoor All-Southland Conference teams were announced Thursday.

After scoring the most points in the SLC Indoor Championships, Sanaria Butler was named both Women's Outstanding Athlete of the Year and Most Outstanding Field Performer.

On the men's side, Keontae Gaines was named both the Men's Outstanding Runner of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.

In addition to Butler and Gaines earning two superlatives, head coach Mike Heimerman (Women's Coach), Djimon Gumbs (Men's Tri-Outstanding Field) and Tim Pelkmans (Men's Co-Freshman) all earned one superlative.

Butler won two golds, a silver and a bronze, as well as a fifth-place finish in the conference meet. She grabbed the golds in the 400 (53.32) and as a part of the 4x400 relay team (3:42.49).

She secured the silver in the long jump (19-5.5) and bronze in the triple jump (39-6.5). In the 200, she captured fifth place, running a 24.18.

Gaines broke the school and conference meet record with a time of 20.72 in the 200-meter dash, part of a pair of goals.

He also raced to the gold in the 60-meter dash, clocking a 6.68.

Heimerman was named the SLC Women's Indoor Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year after leading them to the women's team title.

Gumbs tied with two others—with UIW's Kyle Sieracki and Lamar's Kenson Tate—to earn a share of the Men's Outstanding Field.

He competed in the shot put, tossing a personal-best 63-6 to not only capture the gold in the event, but also earn a spot in the NCAA Indoor Championships, where he placed 13^th.

Pelkmans was named Co-Freshman of the Year, tying it with Alex Martin of McNeese. He earned the honor after winning the silver medal in the heptathlon, finishing in the top five in all seven individual events.

Senior Lynell Washington had a sensational conference meet, winning the gold in the 60-meters (7.41) and silver in the 200 (23.99), earning a first and second team All-Conference selection.

Balde was a part of the 4x400 relay team that finished first and also added a first team selection in the 60-meter hurdles (8.55) and third team in the 200 (24.04).

Annemarie Broussard, after missing the indoor conference championships in 2023, came back to win the pole vault title (12-7.5) and earn the first team selection. Teammate Madison Brown claimed the bronze (12-5.5) to make the third team.

Carnitra Mackey also collected gold to earn a spot on the first team in the shot put (47-8).

Ianna Roach found the podium twice, claiming silver in the shot put (46-10) and bronze in the weight throw (54-4.75).

Other Second Team All-Conference selections include Raven-Symone Jarrett (pentathlon), Randy Kelly (high jump) and Hayden Barrios (pole vault).

Third Team All-Conference choices include Maygan Shaw (400), Samari Finney (long jump), Mikkel Johansson (200) and Andrew Gilreath (long jump).
 
Southland Conference Indoor Superlatives
WOMAN'S
Outstanding Field: Sanaria Butler, NSU
Outstanding Running: Alex Weir, UNO
Freshman of the Year: Ashton Rainey, Lamar
Newcomer of the Year: Sophia Wolf, UNO
Athlete of the Year: Sanaria Butler, NSU
Coach of the Year: Mike Heimerman, NSU
 
MEN'S
Tri-Outstanding Field: Kyle Sieracki, UIW; Kenson Tate, Lamar; Djimon Gumbs, NSU
Outstanding Running: Keontae Gaines, NSU
Co-reshman of the Year: Tim Pelkmans, NSU; Alex Martin, McNeese
Newcomer of the Year:  Keontae Gaines, NSU
Athlete of the Year: Kyle Sieracki, UIW
Coach of the Year: Derek Riedel , UIW