Heimerman earns LSWA All-Louisiana Women’s Coach of the Year, NSU represented in 13 events

NATCHITOCHES, La. (KALB) – Leading the Northwestern State women’s track and field team to a pair of Southland Conference titles, including its first ever outdoor conference championship, earned head coach Mike Heimerman the LSWA All-Louisiana Women’s Coach of the Year, which was announced Saturday.

Heimerman, who fell one vote shy of taking home the All-Louisiana Coach of the Year last season, led a total of 16 women’s athletes or relay teams that made the outdoor All-Conference, including four on the first team and seven more on the second team.

In the past two years, he has led the NSU women to two indoor team titles and the first outdoor team title in program history this season, as well as a second-place finish.

In addition to Heimerman’s superlative honor, NSU also captured 12 spots in individual events and one each on all four relay teams.

Zachaeus Beard, Sanaria Butler and Djimon Gumbs all earned spots on the All-Louisiana team in multiple individual events.

NSU placed the most athletes on the All-Louisiana team outside of LSU.

Beard, who reached the semifinals in the 100-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic trials, grabs a spot on the second team in the 200-meter dash and third team in the 100.

To earn a second team selection in the 200, he clocked a 20.48 at the SLC Outdoor meet to capture the silver.

In his signature event, the First Team All-American ran an impressive 10.03—adjusted for wind—at the Corky/Crofoot Shootout to win the event and post the best time in the conference this season.

Beard also was a member of both relay teams, which both earned second team spots, only behind LSU.

In the 4×100, the quartet of Beard, Cyrus Jacobs, Keontae Gaines and Mikkel Johansson collected a spot at nationals in Oregon on the strength of a 39.25 at regionals in Kentucky and also earned them a spot on the All-Louisiana Second Team.

Beard, Jacobs, Desmond Duncan and Jaysaun Smith also made the second team in the men’s 4×400 relay team, clocking a 3:08.27 at the conference championships.

Like Beard, Sanaria Butler also made the team in multiple individual events as well as both relay teams.

She ran a school-record 52.09 at the NCAA East Regionals in the 400-meter dash, which earned her a spot on the second team.

Butler collected a spot on the third team in the long jump, posting a 20-5.25 at the Bobcat Invitational.

The sensational sophomore also led the NSU women’s 4×400 relay team to a Second Team All-American selection and spot on Second Team All-Louisiana. The team of Butler, Maygan Shaw, Tranasia Jones and Vanessa Balde smashed the school record, running a 3:29.22 to earn a spot at nationals and a spot on the All-Louisiana team.

Butler, along with Shaw, Balde and Lynell Washington collected a spot on the second team in the 4×100 relay after running a 44.43 in front of the home crowd at the Leon Johnson Invitational.

Gumbs’ record-breaking season earned him a pair of first team honors, including one of two NSU athletes to make the first team, which he did in the shot put.

In the event, Gumbs tossed a school-record 66-7 at the Corky/Crofoot Shootout, which earned him the top spot in the conference and the state this season.

Not only did he post a terrific performance at the Corky/Crofoot Shootout in the shot put, he did so in the discus as well at the meet.

Gumbs claimed a third team selection in the discus, tossing a 186-3.

The NSU athlete other than Gumbs to earn a first team selection is senior pole vaulter Madison Brown, who cleared 13-4.25 at the Corky/Crofoot Shootout.

She is joined on the team by friend and teammate Annemarie Broussard, who claimed third in the pole vault, clearing 12-11.5, also recorded at the Corky/Crofoot Shootout.

Joining Butler as an NSU athlete on the All-Louisiana team in the 400 is Shaw, who clocked a 52.59 at the Leon Johnson Invitational on the home track.

Gumbs was not the only member of his family to make the team, as he was joined by twin brother Diamante Gumbs in the discus.

Diamante earned some bragging rights, as he claimed second team to Djimon’s third team in the discus. Diamante launched a 195-2 at the NCAA East Regional in Kentucky, which punched his ticket to Eugene and nationals.

On the women’s side, Kaitlyn Washington also made All-Louisiana in the discus, earning third place with a toss of 170-2 at the LSU Alumni Gold.

In the shot put, Shakera Williams placed second in the state, thrilling the home crowd at the Leon Johnson Invitational, tossing a 48-11.5.

LSU either won or tied eight of the 10 superlative awards, including all five on the men’s side.

All-Louisiana Superlatives

• MEN
  • Track – Godson Oghenebrume, LSU
  • Field – Claudio Romero, LSU
    Freshman – Jaiden Reid, LSU
  • Newcomer – Myles Thomas, LSU
  • Coach – (TIE) – Yhann Plummer, Xavier; Dennis Shaver LSU 
• WOMEN
  • Track – Brianna Lyston, LSU
  • Field – Eunice Ilunga Mbuyi, ULM
    Freshman – Tima Godbless, LSU
  • Newcomer – Estel Valeanu, LSU
• Coach – Mike Heimerman, Northwestern State 
  • The complete list of best times in the 2024 Outdoor season: 
• 100 Meters (MEN)
  • Oghenebrume, Godson/LSU/Jr./9.99/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Fleming, Da’Marcus/LSU/Sr./10.03/LSU Alumni Golf/April 20, 2024
  • Beard, Zachaeus/Northwestern State/Sr./10.03/Corky-Crofoot Shootout/April 26, 2024 
• 100 Meters (WOMEN)
  • Lyston, Brianna/LSU/So./10.84/LSU Alumni Golf/April 20, 2024
  • Davies, Thelma/LSU/Sr./10.92/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
  • Godbless, Tima/LSU/Fr./11.03/NCAA East Regional/May 25, 2024 
• 200 Meters (MEN)
  • Fleming, Da’Marcus/LSU/Sr./20.42/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Beard, Zachaeus/Northwestern St./Sr./20.48/SLC Outdoors/April 20, 2024
  • Reid, Jaiden/LSU/Fr./20.51/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024 
• 200 Meters (Women)
  • Davies, Thelma/LSU/Sr./22.17/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Lyston, Brianna/LSU/So./22.31/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Godbless, Tima/LSU/Fr./22.63/NCAA East Regional/May 25, 2024 
• 400 Meters (MEN)
  • Bedell, Dillon/LSU/Jr./45.30/Tom Jones Memorial/April 12, 2024
  • Jones, Javed/Louisiana/Sr./46.17/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Burrell, Sean/LSU/Sr./46.19/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024 
• 400 Meters (WOMEN)
  • Onojuvwevwo, Ella/LSU/So./50.57/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Butler, Sanaria/Northwestern St./So./52.09/NCAA East Regional/May 25, 2024
  • Shaw, Maygan/Northwestern St./Jr./52.59/Johnson NSU Invitational/April 12, 2024 
• 800 Meters (MEN)
  • Swanson, Mats/LSU/So./1:48.78/LSU Alumni Gold/April 20, 2024
  • Travis, Isiah/LSU/Sr./1:48.81/LSU Alumni Gold/April 20, 2024
  • Martin, Alex/McNeese State/Fr./1:49.07/Carl Kight Invitational/April 11, 2024 
• 800 Meters (WOMEN)
  • Rose, Michaela/LSU/Jr./1:58.37/Bryan Clay Invitational/April 11, 2024
  • Bangel Batres, Lorena/LSU/Sr./2:03.00/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
  • Monk, Montana/LSU/So./2:05.81/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024 
• 1500 Meters (MEN)
  • Langley, Rhen/LSU/Fr./3:43.72/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
  • Kunin, Illia/Tulane/Jr./3:44.97/Bran Clay Invitational/April 11, 2024
  • El-Fadi, Omer/McNeese/Jr./3:45.71/Bryan Clay Invitational/April 11, 2024 
• 1500 Meters (WOMEN)
  • Rangel Batres, Lorena/LSU/Sr./4:09.06/NCAA East Regional/May 25, 2024
  • Rose, Michaela/LSU/Jr./4:18.88/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
  • Hardy, Callie/LSU/Jr./4:20.26/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024 
• 5000 Meters (MEN)
  • Kunin, Illia/Tulane/Jr./13:46.94/Raleigh Relays/March 28, 2024
  • Jennings, Jack/Tulane/Sr./14:03.01/Wake Forest Invitational/April 19, 2024
  • Pardo, Evan/New Orleans/So./14:17.67/Texas Relays/March 29, 2024 
• 5000 Meters (WOMEN)
  • Chesnut, Ella/LSU/So./16:11.49/Brian Clay Invitational/April 11, 2024
  • Vaquera, Paula/Tulane/So./16:20.79/Bryan Clay Invitational/April 11, 2024
  • Diaz, Danna/Tulane/Sr./16:34.18/Raleigh Relays/March 28, 2024 
• 10,000 Meters (MEN)
  • Jennings, Jack/Tulane/Jr./28:28.72/Raleigh Relays/March 28, 2024
  • Adkins, Ryan/Tulane/Gr./29:55.12/Bryan Clay Invitational/April 11, 2024
  • Kimutai, Gilbert/McNeese/Jr./31:08.11/Southland Championships/May 9, 2024 
• 10,000 Meters (WOMEN)
  • Chesnut, Ella/LSU/So./32:46.56/Raleigh Relays/March 28, 2024
  • Spalitta, Brooke/Louisiana/So./37:16.91/Victor Lopez Classic/March 21, 2024
  • DeKay, Rebecca/New Orleans/40:08.73/Southland Outdoors/May 9, 2024 
• 100 Hurdles (WOMEN)
  • Armstrong, Alia/LSU/Sr./12.66/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Phillips, Leah/LSU/Sr./12.71/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
  • Bellamy, Shani’a/LSU/Sr./12.77/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024 
• 110 Hurdles (MEN)
  • Stern, Jahiem/LSU/So./13.38/NCAA East Regional/May 22, 2024
  • Sophia, Matthew/LSU/So./13.37/NCAA Championship/June 5, 2024
  • Adesola, John/Jr./New Orleans/13.56/NCAA Championships/June 5, 2024 
• 400 Hurdles (MEN)
  • Burrell, Sean/LSU/Sr./49.44/NCAA East Regional/May 24, 2024
  • Jones, Javed/Louisiana/Sr./49.44/NCAA East Regional/May 24, 2024
  • Powell, Jaden/McNeese/Jr./51.32/Southland Outdoors/May 9, 2024 
• 400 Hurdles (WOMEN)
  • Bellamy, Shani’a/LSU/Sr./55.71/NCAA East Regional/May 25, 2024
  • Phillips, Leah/LSU/Sr./56.50/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
  • White, Garriel/LSU/Jr./56.88/Alumni Golf/April 20, 2024 
• 3000 Steeplechase (MEN)
  • Peyton Chiasson/Louisiana/Jr./9:07.95/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Kimaiyo, Kevin/McNeese/So./9:37.80/Southland Championships/May 9, 2024
  • Wong, Mason/Tulane/Gr./9:40.97/East Coast Relays/April 26, 2024 
• 3000 Steeplechase (WOMEN)
  • Hardy, Callie/LSU/Jr./10:29.37/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Barcenas, Jeny/McNeese/So./10:30.48/Bryan Clay Invitational/April 11, 2024
  • Pascoa, Marta/McNeese/Jr./10:43.68/Texas Relays/March 27, 2004 
• 4X100 Relay (MEN)LSU/Myles Thomas, Marcus Fleming, Jaiden Reid, Godson Oghenebrume/38.19/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Northwestern State/Zachaeus Beard, Cyrus Jacobs, Keontae’ Gaines, Mikkel Johansson/39.25/NCAA East Regional/May 24, 2024
  • Louisiana/Trejun Jones, Zakhy Munro, Floyd Pond, Jamhad Booth/39.31/Tiger Track Classic/April 20, 2024 
• 4X100 Relay (WOMEN)
  • LSU/Brianna Lyston, Thelma Davies, Leah Phillips, Tima Godbless/42.49/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Northwestern State/Maygan Shaw, Sanaria Butler, Vanessa Balde, Lynell Washington/44.43/Johnson NSU Invitational/April 12, 2024
  • Louisiana/Amairi Ashford, Ta’La Spates, Kennedy London, Mari Robinson/44.71/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024 
• 4X400 Relay (MEN)LSU/Sean Burrell, Salim Epps, Shakeem McKay, Dillon Bedell/3:01.28/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Northwestern St./Desmond Duncan, Cyrus Jacobs, Zachaeus Beard, Jaysaun Smith/3:08.27/Southland Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Louisiana/Antoni Hoyte-Small, Javed Jones, Darrius Charles, Jarell Joseph/3:08.75/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024 
• 4X400 Relay (WOMEN)
  • LSU/Ella Onojuvwewo, Shani’a Bellamy, Michaela Rose, Garriel White/3:26.55/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
  • Northwestern St./Maygan Shaw, Sanaria Butler, Tranasia Jones, Vanessa Balde/3:29.22/NCAA East Regional/May 25, 2024
  • Louisiana Tech/Jamara Patterson, Joy Usenbor, Saran Kouyate, Jenaia Williams/3:37.99/C-USA Outdoors/May 9, 2024 
• High Jump (MEN)
  • Chadenga, Kuda/LSU/Jr./7-3.25/Alumni Gold/April 20, 2024
  • Stevic, Slavko/SE Louisiana/Sr./7-2.25/Louisiana Classic/March 15, 2024
  • Smith, Roman/Southern/Jr./7-1.75/SWAC Outdoors/May 2, 2024 
• High Jump (WOMEN)
  • Smalls, Morgan/LSU/Sr./6-0.5/NCAA East Regional/May 25, 2024
  • Famous, Sakari/McNeese/Sr./5-11.5/Southland Championships/May 9, 2024
  • Williams, A’reil/Louisiana Tech/Fr./5-9.25/C-USA Outdoors/May 10, 2024
  • Washington, Kennedy/Louisiana/Sr./5-9.25/Johnson NSU Invitational/April 12, 2024
  • Veal, Alaysha/Louisiana/Fr./5-9.25/Johnson NSU Invitational/April 12, 2024 
• Pole Vault (MEN)
  • Domingue, Beau/LSU/So./17-0.75/Alumni Golf/April 20, 2024
  • Aime, Kameron/LSU/Sr./16-8.75/Hurricane Invitational/March 15, 2024
  • Russell, Nick/Louisiana/Sr./16-5.5/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024 
• Pole Vault (WOMEN)
  • Brown, Madison/Northwestern St./Sr./13-4.25/Corky-Crofoot Shootout/April 26, 2024
  • Duplantis, Johanna/LSU/Sr./13-1.5/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
  • Broussard, Annemarie/Northwestern St./Sr./12-11.5/Corky-Crofoot Shootout/April 26, 2024 
• Long Jump (MEN)
  • Murphy, Christopher/New Orleans/Jr./25-4.75/Southland Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Bullock, Ji’eem/LSU/Sr./25-2/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
  • Lambert, Lawrence/Grambling/So./25-2/Southern Invitational/May 10, 2024 
• Long Jump (WOMEN)
  • Small, Morgan/LSU/Sr./21-6.75/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
  • Ilunga Mbuyi, Eunice/ULM/Jr./20-6.25/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Butler, Sanaria/Northwestern State/So./20-5.25/Mt. SAC Relays/April 17, 2024 
• Triple Jump (MEN)
  • Nelson, Jeremy/Louisiana/So./52-10.75/NCAA East Regional/May 24, 2024
  • Alexander, Seth/Xavier/Sr./50-9.25/NAIA Nationals/May 24, 2024
  • Hamilton, Lance/SE Louisiana/Jr./50-8.25/Texas Relays/March 27, 2024 
• Triple Jump (WOMEN)
  • Ilunga Mbuyi, Eunice/ULM/Jr./43-10.5/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Smalls, Morgan/LSU/Sr./43-2.5/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
  • Fingers, Taylor/LSU/Fr./42-6/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024 
• Shot Put (MEN)
  • Gumbs, Djimon/Northwestern St./Sr./66-7/Corky-Crofoot Shootout/April 26, 2024
  • Meyer, John/LSU/Sr./64-7/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Francis, Marcus/McNeese/59-10.5/Southland Outdoors/May 9, 2024 
• Shot Put (WOMEN)
  • Valeanu, Estel/LSU/Sr./52-6.75/LSU Alumni Golf/April 20, 2024
  • Williams, Shakera/Northwestern St./Jr./48-11.5/NSU Invitational/April 12, 2024
  • Russell, Jaslyn/McNeese/So./47-5.75/Southland Outdoors/May 9, 2024 
• Discus (MEN)
  • Romero, Claudio/LSU/Sr./220-9/LSU Alumni Golf/April 20, 2024
  • Gumbs, Diamante/Northwestern St./Sr./195-2/NCAA East Regional/May 24, 2024Gumbs, Djimon/Northwestern St./Sr./186-3/Corky-Crofoot Shootout/April 26, 2024 
• Discus (WOMEN)
  • Valeanu, Estel/LSU/Sr./188-9/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
  • Hines, Kimola/Louisiana/Jr./171-1/Crimson Tide Invitational/April 5, 2024
  • Washington, Kaitlyn/Northwestern St./So./170-2/LSU Alumni Gold/April 20, 2024 
• Hammer (MEN)
  • Webb, Terrell/SE Louisiana/Sr./213-11/Talley Invitational/March 23, 2024
  • Witte, Johnathan/LSU/Jr./200-11/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
  • Visser, Gerrit/SE Louisiana/Jr./196-2/Southern Miss Invitational/March 29, 2024 
• Hammer (WOMEN)
  • Lee, Mariah/McNeese/Sr./193-5/Warhawk Classic/April 26, 2024
  • Murray, Lily/Louisiana/Fr./189-11/Talley Invitational/March 23, 2024
  • Valeanu, Estel/LSU/Sr./188-1/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024 
• Javelin (MEN)
  • Lawrence, Will/LSU/Jr./245-4/Jones Memorial/April 12, 2024
  • Larriviere, Jack/LSU/So./234-11/LSU Alumni Gold/April 20, 2024
  • Rimes, Jackson/LSU/Jr./233-8/Hurricane Invitational/March 15, 2024 
• Javelin (WOMEN)
  • Spooner, Trinity/LSU/Fr./181-3/LSU Alumni Gold/April 20, 2024
  • Guillory, Alexis/LSU/Fr./164-9/Hurricane Invitational/March 15, 2024
  • Beard, Blanche/McNeese/Sr./164-5/Texas Relays/March 27, 2024 
• Heptathlon (WOMEN)
  • Raud-Gumiel, Claudine/ULM/Jr./5496/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Talley, Morgan/McNeese/Sr./5204/Southland Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Walls, Taylor/Louisiana/Sr./5189/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024 
• Decathlon (MEN)
  • Bovo, Federico/Louisiana/Fr./6830/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
  • Holland, Aiden/LA Tech/Jr./5420/C-USA Outdoors/May 11, 2024

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