BIRMINGHAM, Alabama—While the Kansas City Chiefs were unable to make it three straight championships, the Northwestern State women aim to do what the Chiefs couldn't, as they are aiming to take home the Southland Conference indoor crown for a third consecutive season.

The men's and women's track & field teams wrap up the indoor season in a two-day meet beginning Sunday at the Birmingham CrossPlex.

The first day starts bright and early at 8:30 a.m. with the men's heptathlon and women's pentathlon. The running events start at noon with the women's 5000-meter run and the field events begin at 1 p.m. with the women's weight throw and women's pole vault.

"We have some really good shots at success, which is all you could ever ask for," head coach Mike Heimerman said. "Hopefully the kids can go out there and perform to their capabilities and their talents and we come out on top, but that is going to be a tall task in this conference."

After not winning an indoor or an outdoor team title in program history up until 2023, the Lady Demons have taken home the past two indoor titles and last season's outdoor championship.

While many athletes are new, the goal remains the same—to bring home a third consecutive indoor team, a feat that has not been accomplished by a Southland women's team since Sam Houston State did so from 2016-18.

"A three-peat would mean just basically that we've done what we came there to do," Heimerman said. "We were so close so many times, but the last few years we've been fortunate enough to win. We'd love to win a third one and it's going to be a battle. It just means everything we're doing, we're doing correctly between the recruiting and coaching. It means we're doing the right things and bringing the right kids in here and they're buying into the system and we're being successful, so it means a lot."

Maygan Shaw, a big part of the past two indoor championships, is aiming to finish out her indoor career with a bang.

The senior has already set individually or help set multiple school records this season.

Shaw leads the SLC in both the 200-meter dash (23.60) and 400-meter dash (52.90).

In addition to Shaw, other Northwestern State athletes who lead their events during the season so far are Galen Loyd (men's 400), Madison Brown (women's pole vault) and both 4x400 relay teams.

Bernesha Knowles is coming off a strong performance at the LSU Twilight, one in which earned her the SLC Female Field Athlete of the Week.

Knowles, a senior from Nassau, The Bahamas, tossed a personal-best throw of 56-7.25 in Baton Rouge in the weight throw to take home the top spot in the event.

That mark put her in fourth place in the SLC in the women's weight throw and the top toss among Northwestern State athletes.

Peyten Ware, a junior, is prepared and is up to the challenge of trying to make it three in a row, as she has been a part of an indoor championship in each of her first two seasons.

The native of Springhill is coming off a personal best in the pole vault, clearing 12-0, which smashed her previous personal best of 11-3.75, which she had set at Pittsburg State the week prior.

"Hopefully this lets Peyten and Bernesha grow a little bit more because those things have been waiting to happen," Heimerman said. "They've been ready to do it but just haven't been relaxed enough to let it happen. That was a reason the LSU meet was great. They had a relaxed setting, but conference is not a relaxed setting, so hopefully they can go in there and do the same thing. They know they've done it, so hopefully they can do it again."

On the men's side, they have come close to winning a team title in recent years but have just missed out.

After running banged up for much of the 2024 season, senior Tavis Wilson is ready to roll in his final season. He has run a personal best in the 60-meter dash on multiple occasions this season, including his current personal best, a 6.70 he clocked at the Stan Scott Invite & Multis.

That time leads the Demons in the event and is sixth in the Southland.

Following the indoor championships, Northwestern State has a few weeks off prior to the beginning of the outdoor season, which starts March 22 with the Lurline Hamilton Invitational in Baton Rouge.