THIBODAUX - After racking up 20 school records during the 2010-11 season, the Nicholls State University women's track and field team will look to conclude the regular seaon in record fashion when the Colonels head to the 2011 Southland Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La.

The Colonels enter the weekend ranked 17th in the South Central Region and fifth in the Southland Conference by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.  Should the Colonels hold their ranking this weekend, they will record the best ever finish in program history at the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships.

The 2010 Colonels recorded 43 points en route to an 11th place finish, both school records at the time.  The 2011 Colonels boast one of the deepest squads in school history.  Nicholls has qualified 15 different athletes in 12 different events.  The Colonels own 14 marks in the top ten of this year's conference performance lists and ten marks that rank in the top five.

Nicholls will rely on deep throwing and distance crews this weekend.  The Colonels have qualified five athletes for the javelin, led by freshman Jaimee Springer and sophomore Aja Scott, who both enter the weekend ranked in the top five in the Southland Conference.  Meanwhile, freshman thrower Kerri Simmons enters the weekend in position to score in her first career conference championship meet, currently ranking seventh in the conference in the shot put.

The Nicholls distance crew is led by senior distance runner Kadi Whisnant.  Owner of two of the top six times in conference history in the 3,000 m steeplechase, Whisnant will be looking to defend her 2010 Southland Conference steeplechase championship and join former teammate and current coach Leslie Bourgeois as the only Colonels to ever win consecutive conference titles.

Joining Whisnant in a strong distance crew are senior Lauren Jones, who is ranked in the top ten in the conference in both the 5K and 10K, and senior Jessica McLeod, who owns the best regular season time in the conference in the 1500 m and the sixth best time in the 800 m.

Junior sprinter Samantha Calhoun and senior high jumper Chelsea Dockrey also enter the weekend looking to make a run at conference titles.  Calhoun, a Morgan City native, is tied for the best time in the conference in the 100 m and ranks third in the 200 m.  Calhoun also anchors Nicholls' 4x100 m relay squad that ranks sixth in the conference.  Meanwhile, Dockrey heads into the weekend tied for second in the conference in the high jump.

The 2011 Southland Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships will begin on Friday and last through Sunday.  Live results willl be available at www.geauxcolonels.com and at www.southland.org.