Southeast Missouri State's Carter, Miller qualify for NCAA Outdoor Championships in track and field

Sophomores Blake Carter and Reggie Miller Jr. got Southeast Missouri State's activity at the NCAA West Regional track & field meet in Austin, Texas, off to a rousing start Thursday.

Carter and Miller Jr., two of Southeast's six regional entrants, both finished in the top 12 to qualify for next month's NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore.

Carter was seventh in the long jump with a career-best outdoor mark of 25 feet 4 inches. He also qualified for this year's indoor national meet and earned second-team All-American honors.

Miller Jr., tied for ninth in the high jump with a mark of 6-11 1/2.

Carter and Miller Jr. are Southeast's first qualifiers for outdoor nationals since 2009.

"I'm proud of Reggie and Blake. Both of them showed up today and got things done. It was great to watch both performances," Southeast coach Eric Crumpecker said in a release. "These are both young athletes that have a great chance to get to more national meets than this. It's a tremendous accomplishment to get there."

Miller Jr. still has one more regional event to compete in, the triple jump Saturday. Southeast's other regional qualifiers will also compete either today or Saturday.

Senior Craig Robinson and sophomore Kevin Farley will be in the shot put today, along with senior Jill Schnurbusch in the pole vault. Junior Courtney Gapelu will participate in the women's shot put Saturday.

Also in the regional are two University of Missouri athletes who graduated from Jackson High School.

Senior Jacob Bullinger will compete in the hammer throw today and sophomore Jill Rushin will participate in the shot put Saturday as she seeks her second straight berth in the outdoor national meet.