BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State track and field ‘s first home meet of 2010 was highlighted by several outstanding individual performances by members of the Mountaineer program.

Senior Ashley McKiver had a big day for the Apps Friday, winning the 200m dash and finishing second in the 55m dash. The High Point native claimed the 200m with a time of 25.89 to edge teammate Kiara Crutchfield (25.97). Crutchfield, a junior from Greensboro, took home the 55m hurdle crown with a season best time of 8.41. Fellow junior Michelle Brutus finished third in the 55m hurdles with a time of 8.58.

Sophomore Christina Parker also was a key contributor for the Mountaineer sprinters, finishing fifth in the 55m dash and sixth in the 200m with a time of 26.39. Junior Nadia Liriano and (7^th, 26.44) and senior Lynda Hiller (8^th, 26.48) rounded out the top-eight for the Apps in the 200.

Freshman D'Shawrna McLucas was the top finisher in the 400m dash for Appalachian. The Eastover, N.C. native placed third with a time of 59.66 to lead a trio of Mountaineers in the top-eight as Liriano and Hiller placed seventh and eighth again with times of 1:00.66 and 1:00.73, respectively. The 4x400m relay a team ofMcLucas, Liriano, Hiller, and sophomore Asia Dunlap also took first place with a time of 4:02.15.

The Mountaineers also claimed three of the top-five spots in the women’s high jump, with junior Rebecca Hazeltine taking first place with a jump of 5-7. Hazeltine was joined in the top-five by senior Julie Ward (3^rd, 5-3) and junior Bridgette Hills (5^th, 5-2).

Ward also made a splash in the pole vault Friday, clearing 11-11.75 to edge teammate Ashley Beale (11-10) for first-place honors. Freshman Meredith Wilson earned a fourth place finish in the vault with a height of 10-11.75.

Junior Dani Reese was a standout for the Mountaineers in the distance events Friday, placing second in the mile with a time of 5:19.9 and third in the 800m with a 2:27.43 mark. Freshman Trinity Foreman followed Reese closely in the mile, turning in a time of 5:21.73 to finish third.

ASU also took spots four through eight in the 3000m run with Kelsey Hanger leading the charge with a time of 10:51.35. Hanger was trailed by Natalie Shaw (10:56.18), Sarah Williamson (10:58.29), Stephanie Payne (10:58.75) and Hannah Orders (11:13.30).

Freshman Gayshawna Watkins was the top female thrower for ASU, claiming first place in the shot put with a career-best throw of 42-02. Watkins also took third in the weight throw after posting another personal best toss of 45-8.

Four Mountaineer men placed in the top-five in the pole vault Friday led by junior Ryan Twiford. The Clayton, N.C. native led the App contingency with a 15-4 leap to take second place. Senior Matt Boruff and sophomore Jack Bell finished tied for third with a 14-9, and junior Jake Goodchild rounded out the top five with a 14-4 mark.

The Mountaineer men also flexed their muscle in the weight throw Friday, sweeping the top five positions. Junior Malcolm Styers led the way with a new personal best toss of 60-1. The Hickory native’s effort ranks as the fourth-best indoor throw in ASU history. Junior Tim Daly took home second place with a 55-7 throw, and was joined in the top five by Jared Stalling (3^rd, 51-8), Jerod Gardner (4^th, 51-7) and Caleb Poplin (5^th, 50-4).

In the shot put, it was Gardner who led the Mountaineer crew. The junior from Winder, Ga. captured first place with a career-best toss of 51-11.75. Styers took second with a 51-04.25 mark, and Stalling finished fourth after registering a 46-10.75 throw.

Kernersville, N.C. native John Svoboda continued his torrid start to the 2009-10 season with a win in the 400m dash. Svoboda, who won the 200m dash at the Tar Heel Invite last week, posted a season best 49.61 to edge Gerrod Sidbury and Winston Salem State’s Chad Smith in the 400m.

Senior Nick Zeller established a new indoor personal record in the 200m dash Friday.  The Taylorsville, N.C. native clocked in with a time of 22.62 to claim runner-up honors. TJ Lockard (5^th, 23.24), Justin Thomas (6^th, 23.38) and DeSean Pearce (8^th, 23.52) also had strong showings in the 200m for Appalachian State.

Senior distance standouts Bud Galloway and Alec Meyer took home top-five finishes in the mile run at Friday’s meet. Galloway claimed runner-up honors after posting a time of 4:25.55, while Meyer took fifth with a 4:31.69 mark.

Sophomore Darius Purcell set a new personal indoor mark en route to winning the high jump. The Fayetteville native cleared 6-10.25 to outdistance teammate Matt Boruff and Winthrop’s Dexter Young who tied for second with a leap of 6-6.25. Freshmen Collin Reber and Brad Triplett tied for fourth with a 6-2.25 mark, and classmate David Carter finished eighth with a 5-10.5 jump.

Junior Phillip Bush and freshman Trey Jones had strong showings in the men’s 55m hurdles, as Bush placed third with a time of 7.83. He was followed closely by Jones who came in fourth with a 7.88 clip.

Freshman Alex Taylor had a nice day for the Mountaineers as well, taking first-place honors in the 800m with a time of 1:55.83 to set a new Holmes Center Record for an ASU athlete. Taylor was joined in the top-eight by Brandon Hudgins (3^rd, 1:56.70), Bud Galloway (6^th, 1:59.94) and Nick O’ Keefe (8^th, 2:02.84).

Freshman Michael Lilley’s time of 9:01.91 was good for second place in the 3000m run Friday. The Hagerstown, Md. native led a group of Mountaineers in the 3k that included sophomore Sean Soderman (3^rd, 9:06.38), senior Mike Walker (5^th, 9:13.46), freshman Charles Wofford (6^th, 9:19.13), and sophomore Mason Campbell (7^th, 9:19.50).

The 4x400m relay team of Nick Zeller, Landon Powell, Nick O'Keefe, and John Svoboda closed the evening by cruising to a two-second win over Winston-Salem State with a time of 3:24.15.

The Mountaineers will be back in action next weekend, as they travel to Johnson City, Tenn. to participate in the Niswonger Invitational at East Tennessee State.