Sports
All-Americans, SLC champions highlight Fall 2025 graduating class
NATCHITOCHES – Several members of Northwestern State’s dynastic women’s track and field program as well as members of the 2025 Southland Conference regular-season soccer champions highlight a group of 43 student-athletes and staff who received degrees during fall commencement ceremonies that concluded Thursday.
All-American sprinter Maygan Shaw, who became the first Lady Demon sprinter to earn All-American honors, led six current or former Lady Demon track and field athletes who earned their degrees. The majority of that group were part of a run that has seen the program win five of the six Southland Conference championships across the past three years of indoor and outdoor competition.
Shaw, a second-team All-American in the 400 meters this past spring, earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing and was on the honor roll. She is joined by Brea-Baca White (nursing), Tranasia Jones (liberal arts), Shakeria Kirk (psychology), Jaslyn Smith (health and exercise science) and Peyten Ware (child and family studies) as championship-winning track and field competitors who picked up their degrees this week.
Two pieces of the 2025 Southland Conference regular-season Northwestern soccer program also had degrees conferred upon them in the past two days. All-Southland goalkeeper Kennedy Rist (biology), midfielder Madison Murphy (communication) were two of four current or former soccer players who earned degrees in the fall. They were joined by Sara Fernandez (nursing) and Kylie Morris (biology).
The 2024-25 Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Newcomer of the Year, Mya Blake, earned her general studies degree in the summer.
Former All-Southland Conference performers Diamante Gumbs (track and field), Djimon Gumbs (track and field) and Reese Lipoma (baseball) became two-time NSU graduates as all three earned master’s degrees in health and human performance with a concentration in sport administration.
Of the 32 current or former student-athletes who took part in the ceremonies, 21 graduated with at least a 3.0 grade point average.
Total Summer 2025 and Fall 2025 Athletic Department Grads: 43
Summer 2025 Athletic Graduation List (Participating in Fall 2025 commencement): 10
Baseball (5)
All-American sprinter Maygan Shaw, who became the first Lady Demon sprinter to earn All-American honors, led six current or former Lady Demon track and field athletes who earned their degrees. The majority of that group were part of a run that has seen the program win five of the six Southland Conference championships across the past three years of indoor and outdoor competition.
Shaw, a second-team All-American in the 400 meters this past spring, earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing and was on the honor roll. She is joined by Brea-Baca White (nursing), Tranasia Jones (liberal arts), Shakeria Kirk (psychology), Jaslyn Smith (health and exercise science) and Peyten Ware (child and family studies) as championship-winning track and field competitors who picked up their degrees this week.
Two pieces of the 2025 Southland Conference regular-season Northwestern soccer program also had degrees conferred upon them in the past two days. All-Southland goalkeeper Kennedy Rist (biology), midfielder Madison Murphy (communication) were two of four current or former soccer players who earned degrees in the fall. They were joined by Sara Fernandez (nursing) and Kylie Morris (biology).
The 2024-25 Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Newcomer of the Year, Mya Blake, earned her general studies degree in the summer.
Former All-Southland Conference performers Diamante Gumbs (track and field), Djimon Gumbs (track and field) and Reese Lipoma (baseball) became two-time NSU graduates as all three earned master’s degrees in health and human performance with a concentration in sport administration.
Of the 32 current or former student-athletes who took part in the ceremonies, 21 graduated with at least a 3.0 grade point average.
Total Summer 2025 and Fall 2025 Athletic Department Grads: 43
Summer 2025 Athletic Graduation List (Participating in Fall 2025 commencement): 10
Baseball (5)
- Brandon Carter (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health & Exercise Science; Honors: Magna Cum Laude
- Caden Fiveash: Bachelor of Science; College: Business and Technology; Major: Business Administration; Concentration: Management; Honors: Magna Cum Laude
- Reese Lipoma (Former Student-Athlete): Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Public Health
- Cade Pregeant (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Arts; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Liberal Arts; Minor: Business Administration; Honors: Honor Roll
- Balin Valentine (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Arts; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Liberal Arts; Minor: Social Science; Honors: Honor Roll
Men’s Basketball (2)
- Lado Laku (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science
- Jon Sanders (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science; Honors: Honor Roll
Men’s Track & Field (1)
- Robert Norton (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science
Volleyball (1)
- Teresa Garza (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Sport & Recreation Management; Minor: Business Administration; Honors: Honor Roll
Administration (1)
- Jena Williams (Former Graduate Asst./Women’s Basketball): Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
Fall 2025 Athletic Graduation List (33)
Baseball (2)
- John Acosta: Bachelor of Science; College: Arts and Sciences; Majors: Biology and Microbiology; Concentrations: Biomedical and Medical & Health Profession; Minor: Chemistry; Honors: Summa Cum Laude
- Bryce Johnson: Bachelor of Science; College: Business and Technology; Major: Business Administration; Concentration: Finance; Honors: Honor Roll
Women’s Basketball (3)
- Mya Blake (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science
- Jordan McLemore (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Business and Technology; Major: Business Administration; Minor: Hospitality, Management, and Tourism; Honors: Cum Laude
- Madison Moles (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health & Exercise Science; Honors: Magna Cum Laude
Football (7)
- Matt Broad: Bachelor of Science; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Biology; Concentration: Natural Science; Honors: Honor Roll
- Kody Finley: Bachelor of Science; College: Business and Technology; Major: Business Administration
- Cameron George: Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science
- Tyler Lewis: Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
- Connor Norcross (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health & Exercise Science; Honors: Honor Roll
- Danny Sears: Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Sport & Recreation Management; Minor: Business Administration; Honors: Cum Laude
- Christian Williams: Bachelor of Arts; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Liberal Arts; Minor: Communication
Soccer (4)
- Sara Fernandez (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science in Nursing; College: Nursing & School of Allied Health; Major: Nursing; Honors: Honor Roll
- Kylie Morris (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Biology; Concentration: Biomedical; Honors: Cum Laude
- Madison Murphy: Bachelor of Arts; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Communication; Concentration: Sports Media; Minor: P.E., Sport, and Leisure Management; Honors: Summa Cum Laude
- Kennedy Rist: Bachelor of Science; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Biology; Concentration: Biomedical; Honors: Magna Cum Laude
Men’s Track and Field (4)
- Diamante Gumbs (Former Student-Athlete; Current Asst. Track & Field Coach): Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
- Djimon Gumbs (Former Student-Athlete; Current Asst. Track & Field Coach): Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
- John Klein: Bachelor of Arts; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Criminal Justice; Concentration: Pre-Law and Paralegal Studies; Honors: Magna Cum Laude
- Joshua Moore (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of General Studies; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor: Social Science
Women’s Track and Field (6)
- Brea Baca-White (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science in Nursing; College: Nursing & School of Allied Health; Major: Nursing; Honors: Cum Laude
- Tranasia Jones (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Arts; College: Arts and Sciences; Major: Liberal Arts; Minor: Social Science
- Shakera Kirk: Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Psychology; Honors: Honor Roll
- Maygan Shaw (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science in Nursing; College: Nursing & School of Allied Health; Major: Nursing; Honors: Honor Roll
- Jaslyn Smith (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Exercise Science
- Peyten Ware (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Child and Family Studies; Concentration: Child Development & Family Relations
Volleyball (1)
- Tessa Gerwig (Former Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Psychology; Honors: Magna Cum Laude
Administration (6)
- Kendrioun Boatman/Football Grad. Asst. Coach: Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration (Perfect 4.0 GPA!)
- Julia Davis/Athletics Academic Coordinator: Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
- Mackenzie Fletcher (Former Graduate Asst./Baseball): Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
- Tyrius “T.J.” Hersey/Football Grad. Asst. Coach: Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
- McKel Major/Strength and Conditioning Grad. Asst. Coach: Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
- Ian Rogers/Strength and Conditioning Asst. Coach: Master of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health and Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration