Penns Grove graduate Eli Hendricks, whose high school PR was 22.53, ran a full second faster Monday at Widener.
Hendricks ran a wind-legal 21.45 at the Widener Final Qualifier in Chester, Pa., the 6th-fastest time in NCAA Division 3 this year. It’s also the fastest wind-legal time by any NJAC runner this year. His teammate, Rowan junior Amara Conte, ran 21.27 to win the conference title last week in Galloway Township with a 2.3 meters-per-second tailwind, but his wind-legal season-best is 21.81 in the NJAC trials.
That 21.45 ranks Hendricks 40th in NCAA Division 3 this year. The top 22 in each individual event qualify for the NCAA Division 3 National Championships. Right now, the cut-off is 21.18 (including wind-aided times). Rowan competes at the AARTFC Championships in Cortland, N.Y., on Wednesday and Thursday, the final qualifier for nationals.
Hendricks ran a wind-aided 21.38 to place 2nd in the conference meet, but his legal PR before today was a 22.03 at the College of New Jersey in Ewing in his only previous 200 this year with legal wind.
At Penns Grove, Hendricks had a windy 200 PR of 22.27, and he ran his legal PR of 22.53 this past June at the Meet of Champions in Somerset. He ran 11.07 in the 100 and was a state medalist indoors in the 60 and outdoors in both the 100 and 200.
Hendricks was 4th in the 200 at the indoor NJAC meet at Ocean Breeze with a 22.01 and ran a leg on Rowan’s winning 4-by-200. At the outdoor conference meet, he ran a 100 PR 10.87 for 5th and that windy 21.38 for 2nd in the 200 and also ran on the winning 4-by-1.
Highland graduate Robert McKinney, a Rowan junior, ran a PR 21.58 in the same race, and junior James Coleman of Audubon ran a PR 21.90.
Hendricks, Bridgeton’s Shamar Love, Agyemang and McKinney won the 400-meter relay in 40.98. Rowan ran slightly faster [40.86] last month with Rancocas Valley’s Masai Byrd, Love, Agyemang and Kingsway’s Evan Corcoran. Rowan ranks 18th in NCAA Division 3 and the top 16 teams go to the NCAA Championships. They’re currently 3-100ths of a second outside the top 16.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 