JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - Reigning Midwest Collegiate Conference field athlete of the week A.J. Smith of Port Byron, Ill., brought home first place in the high jump for the fourth time this season to lead the Ashford men's track and field squad at the Dr. Jim Green Invitational over the weekend.

The Bruner Fitness Center was a repeat visit for the Saints after competing in the Illinois College Open earlier this year in Jacksonville. Illinois College was also host of the Dr. Jim Green Invitational.

Team scores were not recorded during this event.

"We're continuing to build up performances so we can peak at the conference meet," AU Head Coach Chris Adams said. "There are still things that we can improve on to get to that next step, but we worked on making some more strides this weekend."

Smith cleared 1.93m to beat out a field of 17 competitors and had already qualified for the national meet by clearing the NAIA "B" standard this year. He also has a share of the school record in high jump with Aaron Burns (2006).

A quartet of Saints flooded the field in the crowded 200-meter dash including sophomore Austin Gilbert of Peoria, Ill., NAIA provisional qualifier Christian Awah of Willow Springs, Ill., Aaron Yerk of Belvidere, Ill., and Austin Pozzi of Ladd, Ill. Gilbert led the way with a ninth-place effort while Awah was close behind at 13th.

Yerk also did well in high jump at a clearance of 1.83m.

Senior sprinter Franklin Barnes of Chicago placed ninth in the 400-meter dash. Freshman school record holder Aleksander Jakobsen of Rock Island, Ill., finished eighth in the 3,000-meter racewalk competition.

Freshman thrower Jaryd Prince of Clinton turned in a ninth-place outing in shot put, launching for a distance of 13.44m. He also finished 17th in weight throw.

Freshman NAIA qualifier in shot put, Spencer Touchie of Hometown, Ill., did not compete in his national qualifying event, but recorded a top-10 finish in weight throw (13.34m).

Junior Andrew Drinkall of Hooppole, Ill., competed separate from the team at the Iowa State Open in Ames and set school records in the 600-yard dash (1:14.99) and oversized 400-meter dash (50.66).

The MCC Indoor Championships are next up for the Saints on Saturday in Sterling, Ill.