View source for Northwestern State

__NOTOC__
{{Logo|Natchitoches, Louisiana|I FCS|{{sland}}|Harry Turpin Stadium|{{sland}}|Prather Coliseum}}
The '''Northwestern State University''' Demons compete as members of the [[{{sland}}]] in [[NCAA Division I FCS]] football and in [[NCAA Division I]] basketball.  Northwestern State is a public institution located about an hour south of Shreveport in Natchitoches, Louisiana.  The school has an undergraduate enrollment of around 9,000.

Northwestern State is located on the south side of Natchitoches, nestled between the town itself and the regional airport along LA 6 (University Parkway).    Exit 138 off I-49 is the LA 6 exit, and the campus is three miles east of the interchange.  Caspari Street runs north-south, bisecting the campus; Turpin Stadium (16,000) and Prather Coliseum (4,000) are on Caspari on the south side of the grounds.

Northwestern's chief rivals are [[Nicholls State]] and [[Stephen F. Austin]].  NSU and SFA share not only a long history together but the name of a tongue-twisting hometown. (Natchitoches and Nacogdoches are the French and Spanish spellings, respectively, for a local Indian tribe and the local pronunciation of the two names is almost identical).

The Demons have provided an impressive 44 players to the NFL, including several Pro-Bowlers: Dolphins WR Mark Duper, Cardinals and Cowboys TE Jackie Smith (who famously dropped the potential tying touchdown pass in Super Bowl XIII while with Dallas), Saints and Falcons QB Bobby Hebert, Oilers WR Charley Hennigan, Bills DB Terrence McGee, Patriots RB John Stephens, Oilers FB Charley Tolar, and Chiefs RB Joe Delaney, who earned the Presidential Citizens Medal, the NCAA Award of Valor, and ultimately a spot on the Chiefs Ring of Honor and in the College Football Hall of Fame due to tragic circumstances.  Delaney, who himself could not swim, dove into deep water at an amusement park in Monroe, Louisiana, to save three children who were foundering.  Two of the children were rescued, but the third drowned along with Delaney.  His number has not been officially retired by the Chiefs, but it has not been assigned since his death.  Delaney and Stephens were both named Rookie of the Year after their rookie seasons; NSU is the only school outside Division I-A to have had two players receive the honor.

Northwestern's basketball legacy is nowhere near as impressive.  John McConathy played 11 games for the Milwaukee Hawks in 1952; Trey Gilder played two games for Memphis in 2009.
{{-}}
=='''Conference Affiliations'''==
===Football===
{| class="wikitable zebra" style="width: 600px;"
|[[{{sland}}]]
|NCAA I FCS
|1987-present
|-
|[[{{gulfstar}}|Gulf Star Conference]]
|NCAA I FCS
|1984-1986
|-
|[[{{fcsind}}]]
|NCAA I FCS
|1978-1983
|-
|[[{{d1ind}}]]
|NCAA I FBS
|1976-1977
|-
|[[{{d2ind}}]]
|NCAA II
|1975
|-
|[[{{gulfsouth}}]]
|NAIA I
|1972-1974
|-
|[[{{ndfind}}|NAIA Division I Football Independents]]
|NAIA I
|1971
|-
|[[{{gulfstates}}|Gulf States Conference]]
|NAIA I
|1970
|-
|[[{{gulfstates}}|Gulf States Conference]]
|NAIA
|1970-1970
|-
|[[{{gulfstates}}|Gulf States Conference]]
|NAIA
|1956-1969
|-
|[[{{gulfstates}}|Gulf States Conference]]
|NAIA
|1952-1955
|-
|[[{{gulfstates}}|Gulf States Conference]]
|unaffiliated
|1948-1951
|-
|[[{{siaa}}|Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]]
|NCAA
|1928-1940
|-
|[[{{louisiana}}|Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference]]
|NCAA
|1921-1947
|-
|[[NCAA Independents]]
|NCAA
|1910-1920
|-
|[[Pre-NCAA Independents]]
|Independent
|1907-1909
|}
'''Note:''' Membership in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was concurrent with membership in Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference.

===Basketball===
{| class="wikitable zebra" style="width: 600px;"
|[[{{sland}}]]
|NCAA I
|1987-present
|-
|[[{{gulfstar}}|Gulf Star Conference]]
|NCAA I
|1984-1987
|-
|[[{{asun}}|Trans-America Athletic Conference]]
|NCAA I
|1980-1984
|-
|[[{{d1ind}}]]
|NCAA I
|1976-1980
|-
|[[{{gulfsouth}}]]
|NAIA
|1972-1976
|-
|[[{{gulfstates}}|Gulf States Conference]]
|NAIA
|1948-1972
|-
|[[{{louisiana}}|Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference]]
|NAIA
|1937-1947
|-
|[[{{siaa}}|Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]]
|NCAA
|1928-1941
|-
|[[{{louisiana}}|Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference]]
|NCAA
|1921-1936
|-
|[[NCAA Independents]]
|NCAA
|1912-1921
|}
'''Note:''' Membership in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was concurrent with membership in Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference.

=='''Post-Season Appearances'''==
===Football===
{| class="wikitable zebra" style="width: 600px;"
|{{fcsp}}
|[[1988 NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs|1988]], [[1997 NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs|1997]], [[1998 NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs|1998]], [[2001 NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs|2001]], [[2002 NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs|2002]], [[2004 NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs|2004]]
|}
===Basketball===
{| class="wikitable zebra" style="width: 600px;"
|{{d1mt}}
|[[2001 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament|2001]], [[2006 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament|2006]], [[2013 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament|2013]]
|-
|{{naiamt}}
|[[1974 NAIA Men's Basketball Tournament|1974]]
|}

=='''Championships'''==
===Football===
{| class="wikitable zebra" style="width: 600px;"
|[[{{sland}}]] Champions
|[[1988 Southland Conference Football|1988]], ''[[1997 Southland Conference Football|1997]]'', [[1998 Southland Conference Football|1998]], [[2004 Southland Conference Football|2004]]
|-
|[[{{gulfstar}}|Gulf Star Conference]] Champions
|''[[1984 Gulf Star Football|1984]]''
|-
|[[{{gulfsouth}}]] Champions
|[[1972 Gulf South Football|1972]]
|-
|[[{{gulfstates}}|Gulf States Conference]] Champions
|''[[1953 Gulf States Football|1953]]'', ''[[1957 Gulf States Football|1957]]'', ''[[1958 Gulf States Football|1958]]'', [[1962 Gulf States Football|1962]], [[1966 Gulf States Football|1966]]
|}
===Basketball===
{| class="wikitable zebra" style="width: 600px;"
|[[{{sland}}]] Tournament Champions
|[[2001 Southland Conference Men's Basketball|2001]], [[2006 Southland Conference Men's Basketball|2006]]
|-
|[[{{sland}}]] Regular Season Champions
|[[2005 Southland Conference Men's Basketball|2005]], [[2006 Southland Conference Men's Basketball|2006]], [[2007 Southland Conference Men's Basketball|2007]]
|-
|[[{{sland}}]] East Division Regular Season Champions
|[[2007 Southland Conference Men's Basketball|2007]]
|-
|[[NAIA District 30 Men's Basketball|NAIA District 30]] Champions
|[[1974 NAIA Men's Basketball District Regionals#District 30|1974]]
|-
|[[{{gulfstates}}|Gulf States Conference]] Champions
|[[1949 Gulf States Men's Basketball|1949]], [[1954 Gulf States Men's Basketball|1954]], [[1955 Gulf States Men's Basketball|1955]], [[1958 Gulf States Men's Basketball|1958]], [[1960 Gulf States Men's Basketball|1960]]
|-
|[[{{louisiana}}|Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference]] Champions
|[[1922 Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference Men's Basketball|1922]], [[1940 Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference Men's Basketball|1940]]
|}
=='''National Individual Awards'''==
===Football===
{| class="wikitable zebra" style="width: 700px;"
|'''[[National Football Foundation Hall of Fame]]'''
|1996: Gary Reasons (LB)<br>1997: Joe Delaney (RB)
|-
|'''[[NAIA Hall of Fame]]'''
|1956: Harry Turpin (coach)<br>1969: Jackie Smith (TE)
|-
|[[NCAA Division I FCS First-Team All-Americans]]
|1980: Warren Griffith (C)<br>1980: Joe Delaney (RB)<br>1981: Gary Reasons (LB)<br>1982: Gary Reasons (LB)<br>1983: Gary Reasons (LB)<br>1984: Arthur Berry (DT)<br>1987: John Kulakowski (DE)<br>1991: Andre Carron (LB)<br>1992: Adrian Hardy (DB)<br>1992: Marcus Spears (OL)<br>1993: Marcus Spears (OL)<br>1997: Tony Maranto (DB)<br>1998: Jermaine Jones (DB)<br>1999: Mike Green (DB)<br>2000: Terrence McGee (KR)<br>2002: Roy Locks (DL)<br>2004: Jamail Johnson (LB)<br>2005: Tory Collins (DL)<br>2006: Tory Collins (DL)<br>2007: Demetrius Bell (OL)
|-
|[[NCAA Division II Football First-Team All-Americans]]
|1966: Al Dodd (DB)
|-
|[[NAIA Division I Football First-Team All-Americans]]
|1954: Dudley Downing (C)<br>1963: Sammy Odom (LB)<br>1964: Corwyn Aldredge (DE)<br>1966: Al Dodd (DB)<br>1972: Larry Walls (DT)
|}

===Basketball===
{| class="wikitable zebra" style="width: 700px;"
|'''[[NAIA Hall of Fame]]'''
|1958: Red Thomas (F)
|-
|[[NAIA Division I Men's Basketball First-Team All-Americans]]
|1973: Vernon Wilson (?)
|}

=='''External Links'''==
[http://www.nsudemons.com/ Northwestern State University Athletics]
{{-}}
{{conf|{{sland}}}}
{{ccat|{{asun}}}}
{{ccat|{{gulfstar}}}}
{{ccat|{{gulfsouth}}}}
{{ccat|{{gulfstates}}}}
{{ccat|{{louisiana}}}}
{{ccat|{{siaa}}}}
{{tfcs}}
{{ft2}}
{{state|Louisiana}}
[[category:Public Schools]]