BATON ROUGE—Time is winding down on the outdoor season, as the Northwestern State track and field teams have just two more meets prior to the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships.

First off, NSU heads to LSU for the second time in a month for the LSU Alumni Gold on Saturday at Bernie Moore Stadium.

The meet begins at 10 a.m. with the field events and the women's hammer throw. The running events take place starting at noon with the women's 4x100 relay team.

More than 20 teams are sending athletes to Baton Rouge for the meet, including power schools such as Memphis, Miami, Vanderbilt and Minnesota.

NSU is one of four SLC teams competing, joining McNeese, New Orleans and Southeastern Louisiana.

NSU travels to the state's capital after a successful home meet, as most of its athletes either recorded a personal or season best.

"At our home meet, almost everybody had either a season or personal best, so it was a great weekend last weekend," head coach Mike Heimerman said. "Everybody is starting to get in line and all the stars are aligning for hopefully a phenomenal end to our season."

One of those who posted a personal or season best was that women's 4x100 relay team that smashed the program record, as well as the Southland Conference, Leon Johnson Invitational and Walter P. Ledet Track Complex marks.

The relay team of Sanaria Butler, Vanessa Balde, Lynell Washington and Vanessa Balde ran a time of 44.43, which is the 28^th-best time in the NCAA this season.

That was not the only record broken at the Walter P. Ledet Track Complex this past weekend, as Djimon Gumbs threw a 65-6 in the shot put to win the event at the Leon Johnson Invitational.

That mark broke the meet record of 62-11, which was set by NSU's John Campbell in 1982, as well as the complex record of 65-3.75, set by Louisiana Tech's Frank Cate in 1986.

The throw is also the top toss in the shot put in the SLC this outdoor season.

Djimon Gumbs wasn't the only member of his family to have a big showing in Natchitoches this past weekend, winning both the hammer (192-1) and discus (188-5) and finishing in second to his twin brother in the shot put (55-11).

To win the discus, Diamante Gumbs surpassed Djimon on his final throw of the event. It is also a personal best and the top throw in the SLC this season.

The Gumbs twins have been a major benefit both in competition and in practice. Fellow thrower Ianna Roach came to NSU in major part due to them, and in practice, just watching them lead has helped other throwers.

"Competing against athletes like Djimon (Gumbs) and Ianna (Roach) every day really helps," Shakera Williams said. "They are really good shot putters. I've seen them come to practice every day and keep pushing, so I get motivated by all of them."

Williams has improved her distance every meet in the shot put, including a win in the event at the Leon Johnson Invitational, tossing a personal-best 48-11.5.

Overall for NSU, seven events are ranked inside the top 20 of the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches event squad rankings, including six inside the top 10. That list is led by the women's long jump, which is ranked third behind just Nebraska and Arizona.

In addition to Butler's dominance on the track, she also is formidable in the jumps as well, as she leads that group. Butler is the top athlete in the women's long jump in the conference, posting a 20-5.25 at the Bobcat Invitational.

That mark also ranks her eighth in the South Central region and 35^th nationally in the event.

Pole vaulter Hayden Barrios is aiming to end his NSU career in style. He is one of a decorated nine-athlete senior class.

While Barrios is known for being one of the top men's pole vaulters in the conference, he also competed in the shot put and discus, as he is thinking about competing in the multis in next month's SLC meet.

"I am just checking and waiting to see how everyone does around the conference," he said. "If it is beneficial for me to compete in the multis in the outdoor championships, then I will."

Demon sophomore Desmond Duncan ran two personal bests, clocking a 21.08 in the 200 and 47.70 in the 400, and is aiming to build upon those times.

"Desmond had a great day at the home meet," Heimerman said. "It was a long time coming. He has been training really well, so it was just a matter of putting it all together, mentally and physically, at a meet. His confidence should be sky high now. Hopefully he runs like that from here on out."

In addition to the athletes heading to Baton Rouge, distance runners John Klein and Korbin Shumate are traveling to Waco, Texas, for the Michael Johnson Invitation, competing in the 3000 steeplechase.

Following the trip to the state's capital, the NSU track and field teams head to Lubbock for one final tune-up before the conference meet, competing in the Corky/Crofoot Shootout, beginning April 26.