Tougher competition has its way of bringing the best out of Brittani Reagan, and it always comes at the right time.

It happened during the Mid America Intercollegiate Athletics Association indoor track championships, when Reagan -- a former Bentonville standout and now a sophomore at Missouri Southern -- won the women's triple jump. She did it by tying her indoor personal-best when she leaped 12.17 meters (39 feet, 11.25 inches) during that meet, which was held Feb. 28 through March 2 in Joplin.

"I just had some real good jumps that day," Reagan said. "It was a really good day. There was a lot of emotions and a lot of cheering going on, and I was ready to go that day."

Reagan had a great start in the event and took the early lead after her first leap when 11.88 meters (38-11.75). That lasted until late in the second round, when fellow sophomore Jonelle Campbell of Lincoln University jumped 12.12 meters and took the lead.

Reagan, however, was not to be denied, and she regained the lead by the slimmest of margins when her second attempt was good for 12.13 meters. While nobody else surpassed the 12-meter mark again during the competition, she extended her cushion by going 12.15 on her third try before finishing with her best jump.

"It reminded me a lot of when she was jumping here," said Bentonville girls assistant track coach Jaclyn Evans, who travelled to Joplin to watch Reagan perform. "She's just a natural competitor, and it's fun to see that it has increased since she has gone on to college.

"And she got all six jumps in. She didn't scratch at all. She was perfect the whole competition, and it was fun to watch."

Reagan earned all-region honors Sunday for her performance, but she also has eyes on a bigger prize -- being an All-American again. She earned it twice during the outdoor season as a freshman last year, when she finished seventh in the triple jump and eighth in the long jump.

She gets another chance to do it when she competes in the NCAA Division II national championships, which will be held Friday and Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C. Missouri Southern coach Patty Vavra likes her jumper's chances at finishing in the top eight again this time around.

"What I love about Brittani Reagan is the fact that when there is the most at stake, she does her very best," Vavra said. "She's a tenacious competitor, and when there's closer competition, she always comes up big.

"There's going to be great competition at the national meet, and I think Brittani will rise to the occasion. I expect that competitiveness to come out of her again."

Reagan enters the competition with the 11th-best jump in the nation this season. The top eight at the national meet earn All-American honors, and she's only about 5 inches away from having the eighth-best leap.

It means she'll have to break the 40-foot barrier, something she has done in practice and in outdoor meets, and it's an accomplishment she looks forward to meeting.

"I'm going to get that 40-foot mark, and I hope I get it soon," Reagan said. "I got it during outdoor, and I'm so close. I know I can do it, and I'm ready to do it.

"You never know what to expect over there. Some people will have their good days, and others will have their bad days. I'm just going to show up and jump. I've never been there before, but I've been to Oklahoma and Nebraska this season. I always seem to be do better in the big meets, so I'm excited."

Sports on 03/10/2014