GAINESVILLE, Fla.—Coming off a strong performance at the Leon Johnson NSU Invitational, the Northwestern State track and field teams are headed out East to face top competition.

The teams travel to the University of Florida for the Pepsi Florida Relays at the Percy Beard Track at James G. Pressly Stadium, a two-day event that begins Friday.

The collegiate field events start at 10 a.m. with the women's hammer and the track events start at 1:30 p.m. with the women's 4x100 prelims on Friday.

NSU is seeing some of the top programs in the country in this meet and is eager to compete against some of the best athletes in the nation.

"It will be fun," head coach Mike Heimerman said. "This will be one of the biggest relay meets of the year around the nation and our school has never competed at it to my knowledge. We're very excited to go and mix it up with some of the best talent on the East coast and have some fun."

Last time out, NSU won 19 events by 16 different players, as well as a pair of relays at the home meet, the Leon Johnson NSU Invitational.

The throwers, in particular, had a strong meet at home, as four athletes lead the Southland Conference in their respective events after setting marks this past meet.

Leading the Lady Demons was Eliska Zahradnickova, who tossed a 172-6 in the women's discus, which not only won the event, but is also the top mark in the Southland Conference this outdoor season, more than eight feet better than second place.

That performance earned conference women's field athlete of the week honors.

Zahradnickova, a native of the Czech Republic, is one of three Lady Demon throwers to lead the Southland in their event.

She is joined by Margaret Mannering (hammer) and Teodora Samac (javelin).

Samac and Anisha Gibbons are 1-2 by a wide margin in the women's javelin through two outdoor meets.

Some friendly competition brings out the best of each thrower.

"Anisha is the best teammate I have ever had," Samac said. "It's funny to compete every practice and every meet with her and having her on the team brings out the best in both of us. We push each other every practice."

Zahradnickova wasn't the only one to earn a weekly award, as she was joined by record-setting sprinter Rushana Dwyer, who won SLC Women's Track Athlete of the Week.

At the home meet, Dwyer led the sprinters by winning both the 200 and 400-meter dashes.

In the 400, she finished with a conference-leading time of 53.76, leading a Lady Demon sweep in the event.

Over in the 200, she clocked a 28.86. which was the top mark in the league this past week and second-best time in the Southland this outdoor season.

On the men's side, Keontae Gaines is off to a tremendous start this outdoor season.

Gaines won the men's 100-meter dash at the home meet with a time of 10.32, which is third in the Southland this season, and is a member of the 4x100 relay team that also won at the home meet and is tops in the league.

He helps lead a sprints group that is making waves nationally, as the men's 100 is ranked tied for second in the country, while the men's 200 is seventh and the men's 400 is 11^th.

The senior from Alexandria was with the Demons in 2024 before going to Tennessee for a season before coming back to NSU. He credits associate head coach Adam Pennington for his decision to come back to Natchitoches.

"Coach Adam and I have a close relationship," Gaines said. "He's always there for me when I am going through hard times. Going through this season and then winning a team title at outdoor conference would mean a lot with have him there and that would be the least I can do for Coach AP."

The members of the Demons and Lady Demons aim to make more noise and climb up the national rankings in the meet, going against some of the best in the country.

"In the individual events and relays, we want to make a lot of finals," Heimerman said. "We want to put Northwestern State out there a little bit more on the East coast and represent NSU and Natchitoches to the fullest. These kids are primed and ready and are excited to compete and represent the school and mix it up with some of the best in the country."

Following the trip to Florida, the teams take a week off from competition before flying out to California to take part in both the Mt. San Antonio College Relays and Bryan Clay Invitational before coming back for two more meets closer to home prior to the conference outdoor meet.