NATCHITOCHES—After leading the Lady Demons to a Southland Conference outdoor team championship for the third season in a row, Northwestern State head coach Mike Heimerman collected the SLC Women's Track and Field Coach of the Year, highlighting the NSU honorees for the all-conference teams, announced Thursday.

Heimerman led the NSU women to its third consecutive outdoor team crown and sixth outdoor/indoor title in the last eight tries after not having won any up until 2023.

In addition to Heimerman's coach of the year award, nine more earned first team selections, while four earned second team and nine more took home third team honors.

The women had five first teamers and the men with four. On the women's side, it was the 4x400 relay, Juvonna Cornette (100-meter dash), Rushana Dwyer (400-meter dash), Samari Finney (long jump) and Anisha Gibbons (javelin).

The men's first teamers were both relays along with Roy Morris (long jump) and Tarajh Hudson (discus).

For the women, Cornette posted one of the three school records set at the conference meet by NSU, clocking a 11.31 to claim gold in Nacogdoches.

While she did not record a school record at the SLC meet, Dwyer came so close, running a 51.20, just .01 from another program record, which was set by Maygan Shaw last season.

Also collecting first team selections on the women's side were Finney, Gibbons and the 4x400 relay quartet of Dwyer, Finney, Conteh and Kahliyah Anderson, which ran a meet-record 3:33.41.

Gibbons posted a personal best 166-9 to take the gold in the javelin after needing to connect on a throw on her third attempt to even make finals after fouling on her first two.

Both relays found the top of the podium on the men's side, including a meet record 39.22 for the 4x100 relay team of Eddy Vu, Kalen Beavers, Antoine Evans Jr. and Elijah Rowe.

Also earning first team selections were Morris and Hudson.

Morris recorded a personal best jump of 25-4 on his final attempt to claim first after being out of first for the entire time up until then.

Hudson tossed a season-best 184-2 on his final attempt to cement his gold status even after he had the top spot locked up going into his final throw.

A pair of school records highlight the second teamers on the men's side.

Both Will Achee and Dishaun Lamb broke program records, as Achee clocked an incredible 45.19 in the 400 to break his own record and Lamb ran a 13.80 in the 100 hurdles to claim silver and earn a spot at the NCAA East First Round.

Shakera Kirk and Margaret Mannering each earned a spot on the second team in the women's discus and women's hammer, respectively.

Mannering, a freshman from Italy, tossed a near-personal best with a 182-6 on the first day of the conference championship, while Kirk threw a 167-11 for her third consecutive time earning a spot on the all-conference teams.

Six athletes made the third team on the women's side, highlighted by seniors Sileena Farrell (100-meter dash) and Margaret Conteh (400-meter dash), as well as the 4x100 relay.

Farrell, who made the podium with Cornette, ran a personal-best 11.44. Conteh made the podium with Dwyer and clocked a personal-best 51.92. The relay ran a 44.92 to finish in third place.

In the field, Ryah Dates (shot put), Shantangelo Williams (discus) and Teodora Samac (javelin) all earned third team selections.

Williams, a freshman from Jamaica, had a sensational personal best throw in the discus with a 167-8, more than five feet better than her previous best of 162-0.

Samac earned third team for the second season in a row and Dates worked her way back to the podium as well.

On the men's side, Charlie Bartholomew (45.65) grabbed the bronze in the men's 400-meter dash.

Elijah Rowe (24-9.75) joined Morris on the podium in the men's long jump, while La'Darion Dudley (57-3) finished third in the men's shot put.
 
Southland Conference Superlatives
Women's Athlete of the Year - Elizabeth Khatevi, TAMUCC
Women's Track Athlete of the Year - Elizabeth Khatevi, TAMUCC
Women's Field Athlete of the Year - Mariam Buenanueva Saleme, Lamar
Women's Freshman of the Year: Amara Idinna, ETAMU
Women's Newcomer of the Year: Evaline Chpkoech, SFA
Women's MVP: Elizabeth Khatevi, TAMUCC
Phil Olson Women's Coach of the Year: Mike Heimmerman, Northwestern State
 
 
Men's Athlete of the Year - Enoch Fosuhene, ETAMU
Men's Track Athlete of the Year - Enoch Fosuhene, ETAMU 
Men's Field Athlete of the Year - Sam Pavan, SFA
Men's Co-Freshman of the Year: Samson Black, TAMUCC and Cheyne West, ETAMU
Men's Newcomer of the Year: Paul Kiprotich, SFA
Men's MVP: Enoch Fosuhene, ETAMU
Leon Johnson Men's Coach of the Year: Rob Hansen, SFA