Rowan sophomore Francis Terry, a Sterling High School graduate, ran another 400 PR Monday night, clocking 47.55 for second at the Swarthmore Final Qualifier Meet.
Terry finished second to Thomas Kalieta Jr., of Wesley College in Newark, Del., who won the race in 47.01.
Terry’s time is No. 6 in NCAA Division 3 and breaks his indoor PR of 48.22, set last month at the Widener Invitational. His previous overall PR of 47.99 was set indoors when he won the NJAC title at the Ocean Breeze facility in Staten Island, N.Y.
It’s fastest by a Rowan quarter-miler since at least 2005, as far as available records go, and probably longer than that.
Terry’s PR at Sterling was 49.37, when he placed second to Luke Colehower at the 2016 Camden County meet at Haddon Township. He competed last year for Neumann University in Aston, Pa., but focused on other events and finished his freshman year with a season-best of 50.45.
He ran nearly three seconds faster than that Monday night against a loaded field on a perfect night at the Walter T. Skallerup Jr. track.
In all, four Rowan 400 runners broke 50 seconds, Terry in the first heat, freshman Hunter Barbieri of Egg Harbor Township High (PR 49.16) and freshman Justin Bishop from Mainland Regional (49.29) in the second heat and freshman Vincent Delle of Old Bridge in the third heat (49.70).
All four are in their first year in the Rowan program.
Including senior Jamil Jackson of Highland, who has run 49.27, Rowan now has five under 50 seconds (actually at 49.65 or faster).
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 