Southeast Missouri State track team sends 11 athletes to regional

Southeast Missouri State track and field coach Eric Crumpecker considers qualifying for NCAA regional competition a notable achievement and a reward for a strong season.

Eleven of Crumpecker's athletes earned that distinction and will attempt to take the next step Thursday through Saturday at the NCAA West Regional on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene.

This marks the second straight year for the NCAA's current format that combined the previous four regional sites into two sites. The top 48 in every individual event from each region qualified and the top 12 will earn a trip to next month's national meet in Des Moines, Iowa.

Southeast's 11 regional qualifiers are the program's most since sending 13 athletes to the 2004 Mideast Regional. Six of the entries rank among the top 30 in the region.

"To be in the top 48 in the region, against some of the top programs in the country, is a really big accomplishment," Crumpecker said. "It means you're one of the best in the nation at what you do. For us to take 11 athletes is very good."

Southeast's regional entries include two local products, a former national qualifier and a pair of four-time regional qualifiers.

Senior Tyler Terry, a Central High School graduate, will make his first regional appearance in the triple jump.

Senior Rachel Kahle, a Jackson High School graduate, will compete in the 400-meter relay. It is her second straight regional appearance.

Others on the relay are sophomore Jerika Lewis and juniors Magan Edwards and Angelica Larrier.

Lewis also qualified in the 400. She ranks 25th in the region and 34th nationally with a school-record time of 53.40 seconds.

Senior Samantha Espiricueta will make her fourth consecutive regional appearance in the javelin after qualifying for the national meet in 2009.

Espiricueta, the school record holder in the javelin and the 2011 Ohio Valley Conference outdoor female field athlete of the year, ranks 18th in the region and 24th nationally with a throw of 159 feet, 9 inches.

Senior Brandon Colbert also will compete in his fourth regional meet. The four-time OVC outdoor field athlete of the year qualified in the shot put and hammer throw.

Colbert ranks 16th in the region and 29th nationally in the hammer throw with a school-record 206-1. He is 23rd regionally and 41st nationally in the shot put with a toss of 58-1 3/4.

Seniors Josh Uchtman and Ed Draper, junior Shemeika Brewer and sophomore Craig Robinson round out Southeast's regional qualifiers.

Uchtman, who will make his second regional appearance, ranks 27th in the region and 49th nationally in the shot put (57-9 3/4).

Draper will compete in the javelin, while Robinson gives Southeast three shot put entries.

Brewer, who sat out the 2010 season with an injury, ranks 29th in the region in the triple jump with a school-record 41-6.

"All of these athletes have done very well this year and throughout their careers," Crumpecker said. "Getting to the regional is something everybody has been shooting for and it's a good reward for them.

"It's a nice way to wrap up their season, and I think some of them have a shot to get to Des Moines."