NACOGDOCHES, Texas—Competitiveness is a big part of any athlete.

An athlete wants to win every meet and every race. However, the competitiveness goes up even more when one of those athletes is someone they compete against on the team is in their own family.

Twins Kalen Beavers and Koen Beavers are competitive to their core, and it strengthens their bond.

The pair helps lead Northwestern State into the Southland Conference Championships, which begins Thursday on the campus of Stephen F. Austin.

Growing up, that competitiveness between the two didn't just pertain to sports.

"There is always a competition with us," Koen Beavers said. "Even when it is not pertaining to sports. Who fishes better, who cooks better, who has better grades. It is always a competition but not in a bad way. It just keeps us wanting to be better."

While the twins are competitive and love to talk junk to each other, they are much more alike than they are different.

"They talk trash to each other all the time," associate head coach and sprints coach Adam Pennington said. "But they are EXACTLY the same. They sit the same, walk the same, eat the same—just identical. And they truly are best friends and each other's biggest supporter." 

While the Beavers twins have made a major name for themselves on the track, neither one of them was totally into track growing up. But having a sibling running track meant they were always around it and eventually came around to try it themselves.

"I was never big into track," Kalen Beavers said. "My sister ran it when I was younger so I was really always around it. I ended up trying it in middle school and didn't really like it, so I quit until my sophomore year of high school.

"My friend Dmari told us to come to a meeting with him to see if we liked it and we ended up doing really well and sticking with it."

Sticking with it they did, as the twins were sensational runners in high school at Carencro High. While in high school, the pair was recognized as the fastest twins in the state and the country.

At Carencro, Kalen was a district champion, regional champion and most outstanding performer as a senior and was a four-event state qualifier.

Koen, on the other hand, was a two-time all-state and three-time All-American selection.

When it was time to choose a school, they knew they had to be together.

The pair wanted to stay in the state of Louisiana and spent their first two seasons at fellow Southland school McNeese for two seasons, where Kalen and Koen combined to find the podium twice with each making in once.

But following two seasons with the Cowboys, they entered the portal and knew they wanted to attend the same school, just as they had their whole lives.

The twins had their eye on a sprints giant in the same state in the same conference.

"The reason we attended NSU is because we noticed the type of culture Coach Adam and Coach Mike built," Kalen Beavers said. "We could tell they want to win as bad as we do, so we knew it would be a perfect fit.

"We also saw how well Coach Adam developed athletes so we knew he would get us to where we wanted to be. With that and with the people who were coming in and the people that were previously on the team, we knew they were going to push us to be better."

Pennington recruited the twins out of high school and was eager to connect with them after they entered the transfer portal.

"They wanted to stay in-state and with our familiarity over the years I think we both thought we could help each other out," Pennington said. "And it's been blessing to have them. I just wish they had come here from the beginning.

"Seeing their progress this year has been fun to watch, and these are the types of leaders you want on your team. They aren't vocal, but they lead in many ways. It took me five months to figure who was who. But 95 percent of the time, I know now. They are also Louisiana guys so we relate well since our hometowns are just about an hour apart."

This season, the twins have been vital parts of a strong Demons team that finished second at the indoor Southland Conference Championships in January.

At those championships, Kalen Beavers had one of his finest performances on one of the conference's biggest stages.

He claimed the gold medal in both the 60-meter dash and 200-meter dash, earning himself the men's MVP of the conference championships as well as the men's track and men's player of the year.
Kalen credits Pennington for helping him strive for his full potential.

"Coach Adam has played a huge role in my development, not just physically but mentally," he said. "There were days where I would not be at my best and crying on the track because of disappointment and he would come and remind me of what I am capable of.

"He helped build my confidence by believing in my brother and me which made me run with all the confidence in the world. I am extremely appreciative and grateful every day for Coach Adam and Coach Mike (Heimerman) for giving us the opportunity to be here."

Looking ahead to the Southland Championships at SFA, the twins have a chance to do what has not been done since 2001—lead the Demons to an SLC outdoor crown.

After helping NSU come runner-up in the indoor season, the twins know they have the team to do it.

Helping lead the Demons to the outdoor title would mean the world to the twins, helping out a senior group that has done so much for them and the program.

"Winning a team title would mean a lot to me," Koen said. "Being around my teammates is like hanging around my family. There are a lot of seniors on our team, and nothing would be better than helping them go out with a bang."

Koen and Kalen can help lead them to that team title, beginning Thursday.