Northwestern State

Location: Natchitoches, Louisiana Division: NCAA Division I FCS Conference (football): Southland Conference Stadium: Harry Turpin Stadium Conference (basketball): Southland Conference Arena: Prather Coliseum

The Northwestern State University Demons compete as members of the Southland Conference 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 and Prather Coliseum are on Caspari on the south side of the grounds.

Northwestern's chief rival is Stephen F. Austin; the two teams 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

Southland Conference	NCAA I FCS	1987-present
Gulf Star Conference	NCAA I FCS	1984-1986
NCAA Division I FCS Independents	NCAA I FCS	1978-1983
NCAA Division I Independents	NCAA I FBS	1976-1977
NCAA Division II Independents	NCAA II	1975-1975
Gulf South Athletic Conference	NCAA II	1972-1974
NAIA Division I Football Independents	NAIA I	1971-1971
Gulf States Conference	NAIA I	1970-1970
Gulf States Conference	NAIA	1970-1970
Gulf States Conference	NAIA	1956-1969
Gulf States Conference	unclassified	1948-1955
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference		1928-1940
Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference		1921-1947
unclassified independent		1907-1920

Note: Membership in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was concurrent with membership in Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference.

Basketball

Southland Conference	NCAA I	1987-present
Gulf Star Conference	NCAA I	1984-1987
Trans-America Athletic Conference	NCAA I	1980-1984
NCAA Division I Independents	NCAA I	1976-1980
Gulf South Athletic Conference	NAIA	1972-1976
Gulf States Conference	NAIA	1948-1972
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference		1928-1941
Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference		1921-1947
unclassified independent		1912-1921

Note: Membership in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was concurrent with membership in Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference.

Post-Season Appearances

Football

NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs	1988, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004

Basketball

NCAA Division I Men's Tournament	2001, 2006
NAIA Men's Basketball Tournament	1974

Championships

Football

Southland Conference Champions	1988, 1997, 1998, 2004
Gulf Star Conference Champions	1984
Gulf South Athletic Conference Champions	1972
Gulf States Conference Champions	1953, 1957, 1958, 1962, 1966

Basketball

Southland Conference Tournament Champions	2001, 2006
Southland Conference Regular Season Champions	2005, 2006, 2007
Southland Conference East Division Regular Season Champions	2007
NAIA District 30 Champions	1974
Gulf States Conference Champions	1949, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1960
Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference Champions	1922, 1940

External Links

Northwestern State University Athletics