Eight members of Northwestern State men’s and women’s track & field teams were named to the Academic All-Southland Conference teams.
The eight from NSU included five men and three women. The five male athletes—Djimon Gumbs, Diamante Gumbs, Simon Wulff, Tarajh Hudson and Destine-Unique Scott—are tied for the most on the men’s team with Southeastern Louisiana.
Maygan Shaw, Madison Brown and Ashley Duffus made the 29-athlete women’s team.
The All-Academic teams are voted on by head coaches, sports information directors and academic personnel from the members of the Southland Conference.
To be included on the teams, student-athletes must possess a 3.0 GPA and have completed one full academic year at the school to qualify for All-Academic selection.
On the men’s side, Scott was the only repeat honor. The senior reached the NCAA East prelims for the second consecutive season in both the 400-meter dash and as a member of the 4×400 relay team. He found the podium twice at the SLC outdoor championships, earning a silver in the 4×400 and bronze in the 400.
Wulff, a fellow sprinter, makes his way onto the all-academic team for the first time in his Demons career. The sophomore is fresh off an appearance in the NCAA East prelims in the 100, 200 and as a member of the 4×100 relay team.
A health and exercise science student with a 3.57 GPA, Wulff found the podium twice at the SLC outdoor championships, earning a silver as a member of the 4×100 relay team and bronze in the 200-meters.
A trio of male throwers made their debut on the academic all-conference team as well.
Djimon Gumbs and Diamante Gumbs were automatic qualifiers due to being first team all-conference selections.
The Gumbs twins along with Hudson are coming off a trip to Jacksonville and the NCAA East prelims, the second consecutive appearance in the NCAA East prelims for all three.
Djimon Gumbs, who went to Jacksonville in both the discus and shot put, took home the gold at the SLC outdoor championships in the shot put. He made the podium three times at the outdoor championships, earning a silver in the discus and bronze in the javelin. Those performances earned him the Most Outstanding Male Performer at the conference outdoor championships. The junior holds a 3.08 GPA in general studies.
The only athlete to beat out Djimon Gumbs in the discus at the SLC outdoor championships was his twin brother Diamante, who scored a personal best at the meet. He also posted top-five finishes in the shot put and hammer throw. Diamante Gumbs has a 3.19 GPA in general studies.
Tarajh Hudson earned a bronze at the SLC outdoor championships in the discus, as the Demons swept the podium in the event. The sophomore tossed a 182-8 in the discus at the Cowboy Relays to earn a spot in Jacksonville. Hudson holds a 3.95 GPA in health & exercise science; pre-physical therapy.
On the women’s side, Madison Brown is the only repeat selection, having been chosen last season as well. She was also an automatic selection due to her first team selection following a gold medal in the pole vault. To capture the gold, she cleared a personal-best 12-7.5 on her final attempt. She has a 3.93 GPA in health & exercise science.
Maygan Shaw is the other automatic qualifier on the women’s side, having taken home the gold in the 400-meters. She earned a spot at the NCAA East prelims in both the 400 and as a member of the 4×400 relay team. She found the podium four times at the SLC outdoor championships.
Shaw earned the gold in the 400 and bronze in the 200, as well as the gold as part of both relay teams. She sports a 3.76 GPA in nursing.
Ashley Duffus is a first-time selection to the academic all-conference team. She earned a spot on the podium SLC outdoor championships in the javelin, earning the bronze with a season-best toss of 141-1. She finished in the top three in the event on five occasions. The communications major has a 3.55 GPA.
