NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State’s exciting win in the 4x400 meter relays at the storied Texas Relays last week has garnered the team this week’s Southland Conference men’s track and field athletes of the week award. After qualifying for the finals with the fourth-best time a day earlier, the Demons’ 4x400 meter relay team ran an even more impressive race on Saturday to claim the event title in the University/College Division of the prestigious 82nd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin. Juniors Michael Batts (Waco, Texas) and Mike Green (Alexandria, La.) and sophomores Jamie Emery (Baton Rouge, La.) and Jeremy Thomas (Lake Charles, La.) combined to run the four-lap race in 3:08.21 to defeat runner-up Jackson State and Mississippi State along with a slew of conference foes including UT Arlington, Southeastern Louisiana and Stephen F. Austin. Coach Leon Johnson, holding trophy, and the Texas Relays champion 4x400 relay team The Demons’ race-winning time also netted them a NCAA Regional qualifying mark. This is the second SLC weekly award for the Demons this season and first in the running events. Thrower Daniel Yarbrough was named athlete of the week on March 11 after he set a new school record in the hammer throw with a 187-5 mark. Texas State’s Asiya Iskakova was named the female athlete of the week for her performance in the high jump and triple jump.