Rowan’s 800-meter relay team, anchored by Sterling’s Jah’mere Beasley, ran the fastest time in NCAA Division 3 history on Saturday.
The team of Robert McKinney, Nana Agyemang, Amara Conte and Beasley ran 1:27.45 at the AARTFC Championships at the Golisano Training Center at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y.
That broke the all-time NCAA Division 3 record of 1:27.69 set on Feb. 18, 2019 by a Rowan team consisting of Deptford’s Tyler Garland, West Deptford’s Shai Mumford, Dayquan Murray of Hammonton and Spencer Jarrett from Salem, who ran 1:27.69 at the NJAC Championships at Ocean Breeze.
Beasley brought the Profs across the line under the record with a 21.44 split.
Earlier this year, Rowan ran 1:27.88, which was No. 3 all-time. The Profs also ran 1:28.27 in 2018 and now claim the four-fastest 4-by-2 performances in Division 3 history.
Rowan also has a 1:29.05 from 2016 that’s No. 12 all-time and a 1:29.57 from 2018 that’s No. 23 all-time, a 1:29.70 from 2019 that’s No. 25 all-time and a 1:29.74 from 2017 that’s No. 28.
Rowan also broke the meet record of 1:28.99 set in 2019 by Rowan’s Murray, Jarrett, Garland and Mumford and broke the facility record of 1:29.98 set in 2020 by Rowan’s John Owens of West Windsor-Plainsboro North, Julian Pratt of Camden, Rakim Coyle from Wildwood Catholic and Beasley.
The Profs won by 20 meters over SUNY Cortland, who placed second in 1:29.91.
According to the IAAF 2022 world performance list, Rowan’s time is 14th-fastest in the world this year and 3rd-fastest among American teams.
The only Division 1 schools who’ve run faster are Rutgers, which ran 1:26.60 at the Armory last month, and Mississippi State, who ran 1:26.66 at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Alabama in January. Paul VI graduate Antonio Tarantino ran the second leg on that Rutgers team.
Rowan is ranked No. 15 in Division 3 going into next weekend’s Division 3 National Championships in Winston-Salem, N.C.
The AARTFC is the All-Atlantic Region Track and Field Championships. Rowan won the team title 98-72 over SUNY Geneseo.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 