The Northwestern State track and tennis teams, both defending Southland Conference champions, are in action at home on campus Saturday, with the Leon Johnson NSU Invitational track meet providing that program with its only on-campus competition of the year.
TENNIS: The Jack Fisher Tennis Complex is the setting for a key Southland Conference matchup pitting Northwestern against Stephen F. Austin in a meeting of two of the three tri-champions from the 2025 women’s tennis season.
Doubles play is set to begin at 1 o’clock Saturday afternoon, followed by six singles matches.
The Lady Demons (9–5 overall, 5–1 in the SLC) split a pair of road matches against two of the league’s better teams.
Northwestern dropped a 4–3 decision at McNeese, now the only unbeaten team left in the conference race, before bouncing back with a 4–3 victory Monday over Southeastern Louisiana, once again showing its ability to respond under pressure.
“The girls have handled adversity with a lot of character,” head coach Marcos Morelli said. “That’s been a big part of our success in those close matches.”
Against Southeastern, Honoka Umeda delivered the decisive point at No. 1 singles, rallying from a set down to secure the match-clinching win. Maria Farina and Lolita Hukasian provided dominant straight-set victories early in singles play, helping shift momentum after the Lady Demons dropped the doubles point.
Saturday’s matchup presents both a challenge and a familiar storyline.
Stephen F. Austin (5–7, 4–2) is coming off a split weekend, defeating Southeastern 5–2 before falling to McNeese 5–2 in Lake Charles.
The matchup also carries added significance from last season.
Stephen F. Austin defeated Northwestern State 4–3 on April 19 last year, a result that prevented the Demons from claiming the outright Southland Conference regular season championship and instead created a three-way tie for the title.
The NSU coach relishes the homecourt advantage Saturday.
“Playing at home with our crowd is great,” Morelli said. “We enjoy seeing our community out there supporting us.”
TRACK & FIELD: The Demons and Lady Demons have been showing up and showing out indoors and outdoors in 2026 and finally get to compete in front of the home crowd Saturday. Field events begin at 10 a.m. (women’s discus) with running starting at 2:30 (women’s steeplechase) at the Walter P. Ledet Track Complex.
A new Mondo track oval headlines the extensive renovations to the facility, giving NSU one of the world’s fastest tracks. Mondo, based in Italy, installs the Olympic Games tracks.
The 2:30 start for racing is later than ever because of the new lights at the Ledet Complex, allowing competition to finish in the twilight or later. Another enhancement for fans is the new videoboard.
Thirty seniors get their last NSU home meet showcase.
Among them is Sileena Farrell, who once again had a tremendous showing at the Louisiana Classics, as her time of 11.47 in the 100-meter dash is not only the top mark in the Southland so far during the young outdoor season, but also fourth in the South Central Region and 18th in the nation.
Not only did she win that event, but she was also a part of the 4×100 relay team that won the event with a 44.95, which is 25th nationally.
Farrell is also one of six seniors being honored who have spent their entire career at NSU, a group that includes men’s sprinter Desmond Duncan, who has had an impressive senior season thus far.
Duncan has been one of the program’s more improved athletes during his time in Natchitoches.
That improvement helped him earn two trips to the podium in the indoor conference meet last month. As a part of the 4×400 relay team, he took home a silver, and then as an individual, he claimed the bronze in the 400-meter dash, his first individual medal of his career.
Farrell, Duncan and the rest of the seniors are being recognized prior to the 4×400 relay, which takes place at 5:45.
For the event schedule, visit NSUDemons.com online.
