DUBUQUE, Iowa - Just like his counterpart on the women's team, Ashford University men's track and field sophomore A.J. Smith of Port Byron, Ill., provisionally qualified in high jump for the NAIA National Championships on Saturday at the Sol Butler Classic.

The Saints had another impressive indoor performance at the A.Y. McDonald Track and earned 47 points to finish fourth in a nine-team field, beating out both schools (Clarke College, Mt. Mercy College) from the Midwest Collegiate Conference in attendance.

"I'm proud of the early successes that our athletes have experienced thus far this season," AU Head Coach Chris Adams said. "Although we're setting and breaking school records from meet-to-meet, it's the national qualifying standards that we as coaches want our athletes to strive to attain. And in these first few weeks they've stepped up to the challenge."

Smith finished first in the event for the second straight event and cleared 1.98m, tying the school record set by Aaron Burns in 2006. He cleared 1.97m in the Carthage Opener last week, edging out the runner-up via tie-breaking criteria.

Smith brought home 10 points to the team total and joins teammates Spencer Touchie (shot put) of Hometown, Ill., and Heather Ketcham (high jump) as Saints to punch their tickets to Johnson City, Tenn., for the national indoor meet in March.

"A.J. has literally been missing the "B" standard since he became a collegiate athlete," Adams said. "He's a great competitor and it's exciting that he's finally broken that barrier."

Touchie, who automatically qualified in shot put at the Carthage Opener, received bit of a scare in the past week, fearing the worst when a throw in practice went wrong. Instead of what could have been a season-ending meniscus tear, it thankfully turned out to be just a sprained knee for the freshman, who expects to return to practice in the near future.

It was also later determined that Touchie set the school record in weight throw last meet with a hurl of 13.60m.

Freshman Jaryd Prince of Clinton helped pick up the slack in Touchie's absence, finishing third in shot put with an attempt of 14.02m in a field of 25 individuals. Another freshman, Joe Snyder of Winnebago, Ill., placed 11th (12.29m).

Snyder's older brother, Caleb, contributed to Ashford's strong showing in the field events, earning a fourth-place finish in long jump.

Freshman Christian Awah of Willow Springs, Ill., was one-hundredth of a second from provisionally qualifying for the national indoor meet in the 55-meter hurdles, earning his first collegiate victory in the process. Finishing in 7.98 seconds in his collegiate attempt in that event, Awah was just .01 away from the NAIA "B" standard.

Sophomore Aaron Yerk of Belvidere, Ill., finished fifth in high jump and sixth in pole vault, respectively.

The Saints continue the indoor season this Saturday in Jacksonville, Ill., competing at the Illinois College Snowbird.