Southeast Missouri State University's Craig Robinson has been to the NCAA Division I West Region preliminary meet the past two seasons and would love nothing more than to head there again May 24-26 in Austin, Texas.

"I've been to regionals the past two years and it's where you actually get to see all the advanced, or better, shot putters," Robinson said. "It's very exciting. We get to basically live in a whole different state for a week and bond with our teammates and have fun and doing what we're doing, which is throwing."

Robinson signed to play football for the Redhawks before reaching out to track and field coach Eric Crumpecker.

"I actually came to Southeast to play football and I actually decided not to play, and walked on for the track team," Robinson said. "As far as recruitment, I was recruited for a lot of football things but not for track. The only other person that recruited me for track was the University of Missouri."

Robinson said that he did not know the proper techniques of the shot put and that he never thought in a million years that he would be competing in college. At his high school, there was not a hammer or weight throw competition, so that was new to him at Southeast.

"He [Crumpecker] saw the potential and fixed it," Robinson said about learning the techniques of throwing. "He knows what he's doing as far as weights and throwing goes."

Robinson was the No. 19 qualifier in the West Region as of April 5 with a mark of 57 feet, 1/2 inch in the shot put. In the Ohio Valley Conference, Robinson ranks second in the shot put and third in the discus with a throw of 155 feet, 8/10 inches. He sits first in the hammer throw with a mark of 188 feet, 10 inches.

"Craig is a tremendous person to have on the team," Crumpecker said. "He's a hard worker, a great teammate and I can't say enough about him."

The OVC Performance List, which is a ranking system of the top times and distances in each event throughout the season, has 19 Southeast athletes from the track and field team listed on the qualifying list.

"The way the regional system works, the country is divided into two, right down the Mississippi River," Crumpecker said. "There's an east and west and the top 48 in each event in each region goes to a regional meet. You've got to be in the top 100 in the nation in your event. To make it to nationals, it's the top 12 from each regional meet, that's how the selection for the national meet works."

Southeast thrower Kevin Farley, a close friend of Robinson's, has performed just as well as him.

"My sophomore year, me and Kevin went to regionals together," Robinson said. "Kevin is a great athlete and he'll only get better from here on out. I'm not exactly sure what would've happened if Kevin weren't here. Having him there is an extra, a push."

Farley ranks first in the shot put and the discuss in the OVC. He sits in second, behind Robinson, in the the hammer throw with a mark of 185 feet. He is also the No.18 qualifier in the west region.

The 2013 OVC Outdoor Championships will take place on May 3 and 4 in Charleston, Ill.

Last season, Eastern Illinois won the OVC men's and women's championship while Southeast finished second in both competitions.

"The shot put, he's had a great career in," Crumpecker said about Robinson. "He always shows up when it counts."

If the athletes advance at the regional meet, then they will get to compete in the championship June 5-8 in Eugene, Ore.

"I've had a great experience," Robinson said. "I've done a lot of things I never thought I'd do, I traveled to a lot of places I never thought I'd go to. I had a great coach and I can tell my progress throughout the year as far as strength and distances. It's like a big family, I will always stay in contact with all these guys for the rest of my life."