After finishing his studies, he turned professional and began working with coach and former steeplechase athlete Robert Gary. Huling elevated himself near the top of the national scene with a third-place finish in the steeplechase at the 2006 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, recording a best of 8:27.41 minutes, but missed most of the following season due to injury. He slowly returned to form in 2008, ranking 13th in the 3000 m at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships then fifth at the 2008 United States Olympic Trials. By the end of the season he had fully recovered from the injury and recorded a new personal record of 8:20.84 minutes at the Herculis meeting in Monaco.