BOONE, N.C. - Avery Martin entered the top-60 regionally in the 1,500 and Jacob Lysher qualified for the IC4A Championships to lead VMI track and field at the Appalachian State Open, contested Saturday in Boone, N.C.

Martin won the 1,500 that featured a rabbit at altitude, clocking in at 3:48.94 to take the victory. With the NCAA-mandated multiplier for altitude, Martin's mark for NCAA listings is 3:46.15 and ranks him 56th on the East Region performance list. The top-48 advance to the Preliminary Round meet later this season.

Lysher, meanwhile, was fifth in the 800 with a time of 1:51.39, just edging under the IC4A qualification standard of 1:51.80.

Two other Keydets narrowly missed IC4A standards Saturday, including Grant Holmes in the pole vault. Holmes was fourth at 4.65 M/15'3". Jordan White fell just shy of the needed mark in the discus, posting a top mark of 47.42/155'7" to place fourth on the day. White is, however, qualified for the IC4A meet in the shot put.

VMI had two runners in action in the 400-meters, with Julian Jackson placing sixth at 49.67 and Brandon Hartman finishing eighth at 50.17 seconds.

Finally, Luke Phillips (4:05.86/14th) and Micah Ellington (4:10.32/17th) were in action in the 1,500-meters.

On the women's side, Mary Grace Lemon delivered a strong performance in advance of next weekend's ECAC Championships, posting a best mark of 52.60 M/172'7" in the hammer. The season-best effort was good for a runner-up finish in Lemon's final career regular season meet.

In addition, Kennedy Flynn was sixth in the 800 at 2:19.12 and Bethany King wrapped up her freshman campaign with a 4:56.32 time and a seventh-place result in the 1,500.

VMI track and field will return to action May 15 at the IC4A/ECAC Championships.