Shamar Love, Jah’mere Beasley, Nana Agyemang and Evan Corcoran ran the 6th-fastest 400-meter relay in NCAA Division 3 history and placed a close 2nd to D-3 record holder Wisconsin-La Crosse at the Division 3 National Championships Saturday in Rochester, N.Y.
Bridgeton’s Love, Sterling’s Beasley, Parsippany’s Agyemang and Kingsway’s Corcoran ran 40.14 and placed 2nd to La Crosse, which ran an NCAA Division 3-record 39.86 in the trials on Thursday. La Crosse won the race in 39.96.
Rowan lowered the school record from 40.37 from earlier this month in Selinsgrove, Pa., to 40.36 in the trials. Before this spring, the school record was 40.82 by Ed Fortune from Queens, N.Y., Millville’s Matt Davis, Highland’s Jorge Santiago and Camden’s Tyree Jackson at the 2003 NCAA Division 3 Championships in Canton, N.Y.
Only three D-3 schools have run faster than Rowan. Here’s a look at the top-10 fastest 4-by-1 performances in NCAA Division 3 history:
39.86 … Wisconsin-La Crosse, NCAA Division 3 Semifinals, 2023
39.95 … New Jersey City, NCAA Division 3 Finals, 2003
39.96 … Wisconsin-La Crosse, NCAA Division 3 Finals, 2023
40.01 … Wesley (Del.), NCAA Championships Finals, 2016
40.07 … Wisconsin-La Crosse, Drake Relays, 2023
40.14 … Rowan, NCAA Championships Finals, 2023
40.17 … Benedictine, Carius-Gregory Invitational, 2022
40.18 … Wisconsin-La Crosse, NCAA Championships Semifinals, 2021
40.19 … Wisconsin Oshkosh, Augustana Twilight Qualifier, 2022
40.19 … Lincoln (Pa.), NCAA Championships, 2000
The 2nd-place finish is Rowan’s best-ever in the 400-meter relay at NCAA Division 3 nationals. The Profs were 3rd in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
Rowan also earned All-America honors in the 400-meter relay in 1994 [7th in 42.10], 2001 [3rd in 40.98], 2002 [3rd in 41.06], 2003 [3rd in 40.82], 2016 [4th in 40.92], 2017 [4th in 41.15] and 2021 [7th in 41.22].
Beasley is now an eight-time All-American: 4-by-1 and 200 in 2021 outdoors, 4-by-4 and 200 outdoors last year, 4-by-4 in 2020 indoors and 200 and 4-by-4 indoors last year. He still has the 200 and 4-by-4 coming up later Saturday.
This is Ageyemang’s 6th All-America honor and the first for Corcoran and Love, Rowan’s two freshmen.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 