Southeast Missouri State's Miller qualifies for NCAA Outdoor Championships

The Southeast Missouri State track and field team had to wait until the final event at the NCAA West Region Preliminary Championships to qualify an athlete for the national meet.

Junior Reggie Miller finished in 11th place in the triple jump at John McDonnel Field in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Miller recorded a distance of 51 feet, 4 1/2 inches to just make the top 12 and earn a spot in the event at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, on June 14.

Central graduate Chris Martin, who entered the event ranked sixth in the region and hoped to reach 51 feet, finished 45th with a distance of 46-2 1/2. Martin injured his ankle during the week leading up the event.

The Redhawks 400 relay team of Blake Smith, Blake Carter, Kendrick Farr and Alexander Anderson finished 16th in 40.54 seconds. Texas A&M took the title in 38.84 seconds.

Kayla Gutierrez and Sarah Hall finished 27th and 29th in the hammer throw, respectively. Gutierrez's throw reached a distance of 180-1 while Hall's reached 179-2.

Shon Kyle rounded out the Southeast throwers' day with a 36th-place finish in the men's discus. He had a throw of 169-10.

Kevin Farley earned the highest finish for the Redhawks on Friday when he finished 24th in the hammer throw with a distance of 194-9.

Gutierrez competed in the discus and finished 29th with a throw of 158-6.

Ahshane Johnson and Kim Moye competed in the women's triple jump and finished 41st and 43rd, respectively. Johnson leaped 38-1/4 while Moye jumped 37-6.

Miller surprisingly did not record a height in the high jump. He qualified for the national meet in the event last year but missed three attempts at 6-11 1/2.