Breaking a school record that had stood for more than 40 years and running one of the top times in the country in the 100-meter dash earned the Northwestern State a pair of Southland Conference track and field weekly awards, the league announced Wednesday.

 

Zachaeus Beard and Djimon Gumbs, both seniors, won the SLC Men’s Track and Field weekly awards in their final meet before the conference championships.

 

Gumbs tossed a 66-7 in the shot put, breaking a school record that had stood since 1982 at the Corky/Crofoot Shootout. He broke the record of John Campbell, who tossed a 65-8.75.

 

Not only was that a program record, but it was the best toss in the conference this season by more than seven feet. It is also the second-best toss SLC history, No. 4 in the NCAA and tops in the South Central Region.

 

If that wasn’t enough, Gumbs also tossed a 186-3 in the discus, the second-best throw in the discus in the SLC this season and ninth in the South Central region.

 

Beard, on the other hand, lit the track on fire with a 10.00 in the 100 in Lubbock, winning the event. That is the second-best time in program history and the third-best time in the NCAA this season.

 

The senior also clocked a 20.79 in the 200m. He was also part of the 4×100 relay team that ran a 39.54.

 

It is the first outdoor weekly award for Gumbs this season, while it is Beard’s second, also winning one April 3.

 

The NSU track and field teams take a weekend off before the start of the conference meet, which begins May 9 in Houston.