NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State Athletics celebrated the accomplishments of 52 current and former student-athletes and staff members who earned their diplomas during spring commencement ceremonies on Wednesday and Thursday inside Prather Coliseum.
 
The graduating class represents programs from across the department and includes conference champions, award winners, record holders and academic standouts who made lasting impacts both in competition and in the classroom.
 
Football led the way with 12 graduates, followed by women's track and field with 10 and men's track and field with eight.
 
Among the graduates was football's Caleb Billiot, a College Sports Communicators All-District selection, two-time Southland Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll member and a 2025 Academic All-Conference Team honoree.
 
Teammate Kolbe Burrell also distinguished himself academically as a four-time member of the Southland Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll.
 
The Northwestern State soccer program saw two decorated student-athletes graduate in Paige Baumgartner and Jessica Spitzer.
 
Baumgartner earned First-Team All-Southland Conference honors in 2025 and was named to the Southland All-Academic Team.
 
Spitzer capped one of the most accomplished careers in program history by earning 2025 Southland Conference Defender of the Year and Southland Conference Student-Athlete of the Year honors. A two-time all-conference selection and two-time Southland All-Academic Team member, Spitzer established herself as one of the league's premier defenders during her Demons career.
 
Men's basketball graduate Willie Williams leaves Northwestern State after putting together one of the top rebounding stretches in recent program history. Williams started 55 games during his career and led the Demons in rebounds in each of the past two seasons with more than 220 rebounds in each year.
 
His 462 career rebounds and 450 career points helped make him the first Demon since Ishmael Lane from 2017-19 to produce consecutive 200-rebound seasons and only the third Northwestern State player in the past 15 seasons to accomplish the feat.
 
On the tennis courts, Sofia Garcia closed her career as one of the most accomplished players in program history. Garcia earned six all-conference selections across singles and doubles play while totaling 48 singles victories, which ranks 15th all-time in program history.
 
Her .774 singles winning percentage ranks sixth best in school history, and her 10-1 record at the No. 6 singles position this past season set a new single-season program record for that spot.
 
Northwestern State's track and field programs once again showcased their combination of athletic and academic success with 18 graduates who combined for more than 40 podium finishes at Southland Conference Championships during their careers.
 
Among the headliners was Madison Brown, the 2025 Southland Conference Indoor Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Brown captured four Southland Conference Championship medals in the pole vault, including two gold medals, while also earning four Southland Conference Academic All-Conference selections and contributing to four conference championship teams.
 
Sileena Farrell graduated after earning four podium finishes at Southland Conference Championships, highlighted by a gold medal as part of the 2025 4x100-meter relay team. Farrell also earned 2025 Academic All-Conference honors and was part of five Southland Conference championship teams.
 
Samari Finney added to the decorated graduating class after being named Southland Conference Female Athlete of the Year. Finney totaled eight podium finishes at conference championships, including five gold medals across relay events and the long jump.
 
Shakera Williams also graduated after recording three podium finishes at Southland Conference Championships, including a gold medal in the shot put at the 2025 outdoor championships.
 
The graduating class reflects Northwestern State Athletics' continued commitment to academic achievement and competitive excellence across all sports.
 
Spring 2026 Athletic Graduation List (53)
Baseball (5)
1. Connor Bivins (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Business and Technology; Major: Business Administration; Honors: Honor Roll
2. Christian Caruso (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Science; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science; Honors: Honor Roll
3. Trent Hillen: Bachelor of Arts; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Liberal Arts; Minor: Social Science; Honors: Honor Roll
4. Ethan Menard: Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Science; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science
5. Mason Wray: Bachelor of Arts; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Liberal Arts; Minor: Psychology; Honors: Honor Roll
 
Men's Basketball (2)
1. Landyn Jumawan: Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Science; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science; Honors: Honor Roll
2. Willie Williams: Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Science; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science; Honors: Honor Roll
 
Women's Basketball (1)
1. Carla Celaya-Pons: Bachelor of Science; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Biology; Concentration: Biomedical; Honors: Honor Roll
 
Football (12)
1. Sawyer Benson (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Electronics Engineering Technology; Concentration: Electronics  
2. Caleb Billiot: Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Exercise Science; Concentration: Pre-Physical Therapy; Honors: Cum Laude
3. Atravon Bossier (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Arts; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Criminal Justice
4. Kolbe Burrell: Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
5. Guadalupe Cedillo Garcia: Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Science; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Computer and Natural Science; Minors: Social Science and Computer Information Systems
6. Xavier Davis: Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Science; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science
7. Chad Gooden (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Electronics Engineering Technology; Concentration: Electronics; Honors: Honor Roll
8. Landry Huddleston: Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Science; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science
9. Evan Kern (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Biology; Concentration: Biomedical; Minors: Chemistry and Physical Sciences; Honors: Summa Cum Laude
10. Cole Lafleur (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Industrial Engineering Technology; Honors: Cum Laude
11. Kevin Magee (Former Student-Athlete): Master of Education; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Educational Leadership
12. Ryan Tyler: Bachelor of Science; College: Business and Technology; Major: Business Administration; Concentration: Management; Honors: Honor Roll
 
Soccer (4)
1. Paige Baumgartner: Bachelor of Science; College: Business and Technology; Major: Business Administration; Honors: Cum Laude
2. Kassandra "Kassi" Schoen (Former Student-Athlete): Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Public Health (Perfect 4.0 GPA!)
3. Jessica Spitzer: Bachelor of Science; College: Arts and Sciences; Majors: Biology/Applied Microbiology; Concentrations: Biomedical/Medical & Health Profession; Minor: Chemistry; Honors: Summa Cum Laude (Perfect 4.0 GPA!)
4. Anna (Annie) Stook: Bachelor of Science; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Physical Science; Concentration: Chemistry; Honors: Magna Cum Laude
 
Tennis (3)
1. Sofia Garcia: Bachelor of Science; College: Business and Technology; Major: Computer Information Systems; Concentration: Information Systems Management; Honors: Cum Laude
2. Lolita Hukasian: Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Science; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science; Honors: Cum Laude
3. Zoi Spyrou: Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Psychology; Honors: Honor Roll
 
Men's Track (8)
1. Tyler Corwin (Former Student-Athlete): Master of Science; College: Business and Technology; Major: Computer Information Systems
2. Mikkel Johansson: Bachelor of Arts; College: Arts and Science; Major: Communication; Concentration: Strategic Communication; Minor: Business Administration; Honors: Honor Roll
3. Kason Jones: Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Science; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science
4. Randy Kelly: Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Science; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science; Honors: Honor Roll
5. Galen Loyd (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Science; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science
6. Korbin Shumate: Bachelor of Science; College: Business and Technology; Major: Hospitality, Management and Tourism; Concentration: Hospitality Services; Minor: Social Science; Honors: Honor Roll
7. Payten Vidourek (Former Student-Athlete/Assistant Coach): Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
8. Tavis Wilson: Bachelor of General Studies; College Arts & Sciences; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science (Previously earned Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts)
 
Women's Track (10)
1. Madison Brown (Former Student-Athlete): Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance (Perfect 4.0 GPA!)
2. Victoria Byrd: Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Exercise Science; Concentration: Pre-Physical Therapy; Honors: Cum Laude
3. Margaret Conteh: Bachelor of Arts; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Criminal Justice; Minor: Political Science
4. Kallie Evers: Bachelor of Science; College: Arts and Science; Major: Biology; Concentration: Natural Science; Minor: Business Administration; Honors: Cum Laude
5. Sileena Farrell: Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Exercise Science; Honors: Summa Cum Laude
6. Samari Finney: Bachelor of Science; College: Arts and Science; Major: Biology; Concentration: Biomedical; Honors: Honor Roll
7. Silet Gray: Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Science; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Business Administration; Honors: Honor Roll
8. Shanice Hutson: Bachelor of Arts; College: Arts and Science; Major: Liberal Arts; Minors: Business Administration and Psychology; Honors: Cum Laude
9. Jessica Pitcher (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Psychology
10. Shakera Williams: Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts; Colleges: Business and Technology/Arts and Sciences; Majors: Business Administration/Liberal Arts; Concentration: Management; Minor: Business Administration; Honors: Honor Roll
 
Volleyball (3)
1. Lorelei Freling (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Electronics Engineering Technology; Concentration: Biomedical; Honors: Summa Cum Laude
2. Makenna Tryon: Bachelor of Science; College: Business and Technology; Major: Business Administration; Concentration: Marketing; Honors: Magna Cum Laude
3. Samaya Wesson: Bachelor of Science; College: Business and Technology; Major: Business Administration; Concentration: Marketing; Honors: Cum Laude
 
Administration (5)
1. Seth Archangel (Student Worker/Sports Information): Bachelor of Fine Arts; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Fine and Graphic Arts; Concentration: Graphic Communications
2. Joseph Craighead (Former Graduate Assistant/Baseball): Master of Arts; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Adult Learning & Development; Concentration: Adult & Workforce Development; Master's Thesis: Emotional Intelligence in College Athletes
3. Bryce Fink: Graduate Assistant/Men's Basketball: Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
4. Zach Freihofer: Graduate Assistant/Sports Information: Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
5. Walter Westrick: Graduate Assistant/Athletic Facilities: Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration