To understand just how impressive Maria Muzzarelli’s 400-meter dash PR this past weekend was, you have to understand her history in the 400.
At Buena, Muzzarelli had a 400 PR of 1:05.36, which got her 13th in the 2021 South Jersey Group 1 sectionals at Washington Township.
Her freshman year at Widener, her fastest indoor time was 1:10.01 in a meet at Haverford and outdoors she ran 1:05.37 at Ursinus. This past winter, she focused on shorter sprints and got her 60 time down to 7.63, which won the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships in Reading. She went on to place 12th at NCAA Division 3 Championships in Virginia Beach with a 7.68, earning 2nd-team All-America honors.
But this past weekend, she ran her first open 400 in exactly a year and placed 2nd at the Danny Curran Invitational on her home track in Chester, Pa., in 58.76. The race was won by Triton grad Nevaeh Lorjuste of Rowan, who ran 56.92.
Muzzarelli’s 58.76 is a nearly two-second PR and No. 6 in Widener history. She’s already 2nd in school history in the 100 [12.09 last May] and 2nd in the 200 [25.17 last May] and 5th in the long jump [17-6 ¾] as well as the school record holder indoors in the 60 [7.63], 2nd in the 200 [25.67].
She ran more than 6 ½ seconds faster Saturday than she her fastest time in high school. And she’s now No. 1 in the MAAC so far this year.
As for Lorjuste, her time is No. 8 in NCAA Division 3 so far this year and No. 1 in the NJAC.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 