6.76 seconds. That's enough time for someone to send a text, tweet or update a Facebook status. Junior Blake Carter used 6.76 seconds to run his way into the Southeast Missouri State University indoor track record book.
At the Eastern Illinois University Early Bird track meet held in early December, Carter won the 60-meter dash in Southeast record time and earned himself co-Adidas Ohio Valley Conference Athlete of the Week honors. His time of 6.76 presides on top of the 2013 OVC Best List, which lists the top scores in track and field events.
"I loved it. It was great, a great experience," Carter said. "You've got to keep working. I mean, it's recognition for me as well as my coach and teammates, too. Without them I wouldn't be able to do it."
Carter participates in both indoor and outdoor track, as a sprinter and jumper. He runs the 60-meter dash, 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash and participates in the long jump and triple jump.
Southeast coach Matt Koelling thinks Carter will only get better this season, particularly in his jumping ability.
"I definitely think Blake could beat the indoor school record that's 25-1 1/2 and the outdoor record is 25-10 1/2," Koelling said. "He's got a good shot at breaking both of those. We want to try and make indoor nationals and outdoor nationals and regionals."
In order to make the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships, the top 16 marks from the season for each event make it. This year's meet is hosted by the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark. starting March 8. There are no regionals for indoor track and field.
As for outdoor track and field, participants must first qualify for regionals. There are two regions, East and West. Southeast athletes would need to qualify for the West Region, which meets at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas on May 23. The top 48 athletes who post their marks during the season for their event qualify. Last year, Carter qualified for the long jump and sophomore Reggie Miller, Jr. qualified for the high jump.
From there, the regional meet then dwindles down the top 48 athletes per event, to just 12. They qualify for the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships which take place at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore. starting June 8.
Miller is also having a record-breaking season. Also competing in the EIU Early Bird track meet in early December, Miller broke Southeast's high jump record with a 7-0-25 mark. He just won the high jump in the Wisconsin Invite on Jan. 19. Sophomore Blake Smith won the long jump during the same weekend.
"I think the team is showing a lot of promise," Carter said. "We've all done well, but we just continue to get better as the season progresses.
As for the indoor track team, it hopes to defeat Eastern Illinois at the OVC Indoor Track and Field Championship held on Feb. 22-23 at EIU. EIU men's track has won the past four OVC indoor championships and 11 of the last 12. The women's team has won the past four as well, and five of the last six indoor championships.
"I think on paper, we match up really well with them," Koelling said. "So, we can take it home. As long as we perform we should be able to win the conference championship."
He thought that his better event was the long jump, until he ran for the record in the 60-meter dash. Now he's looking forward to outdoor track to start up.
"I prefer outdoor better," Carter said. "More scenery. It's warm out, it gets hotter. It's not a controlled temperature, so outdoor's better."
Southeast hosts SIU-Edwardsville in a head-to-head meet held on Friday at Abe Stuber Track and Field Complex.
