While winning in competition representing Northwestern State is a primary focus for the Demons’  nearly 400 student-athletes, last week’s spring commencement exercises at the university illustrated their top priority.

Walking across the stage at Prather Coliseum to receive a college diploma were 52 current and former competitors. They added to NSU Athletics’ remarkable 85 percent graduation rate.

The graduating class represents programs from across the department and includes conference champions, award winners, record holders and academic standouts who made lasting impacts both in competition and in the classroom. Along with athletes, the class included student managers, trainers and graduate assistant coaches and staff members.

Football led the way with 12 graduates, followed by women’s track and field with 10 and men’s track and field with eight.

Northwestern’s track and field programs once again showcased their combination of athletic and academic success with 18 graduates who combined for nearly 50 podium finishes at Southland Conference Championships during their careers.

Among the headliners was Natchitoches Central product Madison Brown, the 2025 Southland Conference Indoor Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Brown captured four Southland Conference Championship medals in the pole vault, including two gold medals, while also earning four Southland Conference Academic All-Conference selections and contributing to four conference championship teams.

Sileena Farrell graduated after earning four podium (top three) finishes at Southland Conference Championships, highlighted by a gold medal as part of the 2025 4×100-meter relay team. Farrell also earned 2025 Academic All-Conference honors and was part of five Southland Conference championship teams.

Samari Finney added to the decorated graduating class after being named Southland Conference Female Athlete of the Year. Finney totaled 11 podium finishes at conference championships, including six gold medals across relay events and the long jump.

Shakera Williams also graduated after recording three podium finishes at Southland Conference Championships, including a gold medal in the shot put at the 2025 outdoor championships

Among the graduates was football’s Caleb Billiot, a College Sports Communicators All-District selection, two-time Southland Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll member and a 2025 Academic All-Conference Team honoree.

Teammate Kolbe Burrell also distinguished himself academically as a four-time member of the Southland Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

The Northwestern State soccer program saw two decorated student-athletes graduate in Paige Baumgartner and Jessica Spitzer.

Baumgartner earned First-Team All-Southland Conference honors in 2025 and was named to the Southland All-Academic Team.

Spitzer capped one of the most accomplished careers in program history by earning 2025 Southland Conference Defender of the Year and Southland Conference Student-Athlete of the Year honors. A two-time all-conference selection and two-time Southland All-Academic Team member, Spitzer established herself as one of the league’s premier defenders during her Demons career.

Men’s basketball graduate Willie Williams leaves Northwestern after putting together one of the top rebounding stretches in recent program history. Williams started 55 games during his career and led the Demons in rebounds in each of the past two seasons with more than 220 rebounds in each year.

His 462 career rebounds and 450 career points helped make him the first Demon since Ishmael Lane from 2017-19 to produce consecutive 200-rebound seasons and only the third Northwestern player in the past 15 seasons to accomplish the feat.

On the tennis courts, Sofia Garcia closed her career as one of the more accomplished players in program history. Garcia earned six all-conference selections across singles and doubles play while totaling 48 singles victories, which ranks 15th all-time in program history.

Her .774 singles winning percentage ranks sixth best in school history, and her 10-1 record at the No. 6 singles position this past season set a new single-season program record for that spot.