Northwestern State moves up game so team can attend player's funeral

Northwestern State will return to the football field Thursday night against Southeastern Louisiana following the shooting death of junior safety Ronnie Caldwell.

Northwestern State (0-5) canceled its game that Saturday at Nicholls. The FCS program in Natchitoches, La., was scheduled to host Southeastern Louisiana this Saturday.

But with Caldwell's wake and funeral services scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Austin, Texas, the program moved the game up to Thursday in order to allow players and staff to attend.

Local police said Caldwell, 21, was shot multiple times just after 1 a.m. last Thursday at an apartment complex near Northwestern State's campus.

Caldwell was injured in preseason camp, but he served as a de facto assistant defensive coach on the sideline and traveled with the team. He was selected to the 2022 Southland Conference Commissioner's Fall Honor Roll after recording a grade-point average of at least 3.0 during the football season.