Rancocas Valley graduate Micah Wood, a Rutgers grad student, ran a huge intermediate hurdles PR Friday in his 2024 outdoor season opener.
Wood placed 2nd in the 400IH at the UCF Knights Invite at the University of Central Florida Track and Soccer Complex in Orlando in 51.42. Jameson Woodell, a Rutgers grad student from Hunterdon Central, won the race in 51.14.
Wood’s previous PR was a 52.35 in his last outdoor race – at the Big Ten Championships in May in Bloomington, Ind.
Woodell is the Rutgers school record holder at 49.82 from the 2022 NCAA East Prelims, also in Bloomington.
Wood’s time is No. 7 in Rutgers history. He’s one of four South Jersey runners on that top-10 list: Delsea’s Aaron Younger is No. 2 with his 50.65 at 2010 NCAA Regionals in Greensboro, N.C.; Lenape’s Steve Swern No. 8 with a 51.68 at 2010 IC4As in Princeton; and Delran’s Harran Williams No. 10 with 52.19 from 2002 IC4As at Princeton.
Wood is also No. 8 on the all-time Monmouth list with a 52.91 from his win at the 2021 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships in Lawrenceville. He transferred from Monmouth to Rutgers after the 2021 outdoor season.
That 51.42 is No. 13 on the all-time South Jersey alumni list and No. 2 among Burlington County runners behind Lenape’s Mike Brown, who ran 50.04 in 2002 in Holmdel.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 