NATCHITOCHES – Djimon Gumbs helped continue Northwestern State's track and field legacy on the national and international stage during and after his Demon career.
 
Gumbs, a second-team All-American in the shot put who reached three NCAA national championship meets in his three years at Northwestern, has been named the Exchange Bank and Trust Demon Great of the Game for Saturday's 4 p.m. game against Lamar.
 
A native of the British Virgin Islands, Gumbs earned second-team indoor All-American honors in the shot put in 2024, finishing 13^th at the national meet after earning Southland Conference Outstanding Field Athlete of the Year honors. He followed that up with a first-team All-Louisiana performance in the shot put in the outdoor season and added a third-team selection in the discus.
 
In 2023, Gumbs reached the NCAA East Outdoor Regionals in both the discus and the shot put after capturing the Southland Conference shot put championship and earning podium finishes in the discus (2^nd place) and the javelin (3^rd place).
 
Gumbs' first year at Northwestern after transferring from New Mexico Junior College saw him earn the Most Valuable Performer honors at the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships, SLC Men's Newcomer of the Year, SLC Men's Outstanding Field Events Performer and first-team All-SLC honors in the shot put and discus.
 
That season, Gumbs competed in the NCAA Outdoor Championships in both the discus and shots.
 
He completed his career as the school record-holder in the shot put (66-7) and the discus (205-11) while collecting eight total Southland Conference Athlete of the Week honors. In addition to his prowess in Purple and White, Gumbs has represented his home country, the British Virgin Islands, in the shot put and discus in international competitions.
 
The Exchange Bank and Trust Demon Great of the Game program is in its second decade of honoring former Northwestern State student-athletes and staff members. Exchange Bank and Trust has been a key supporter of NSU Athletics throughout its long history as the oldest financial institution in Louisiana.