From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Sophomore Allyson Wernik of Washington Township and senior Anna Sasse of Williamstown placed 2nd and 4th and the Rowan women cruised to their first New Jersey Athletic Conference title since 2019 Saturday morning in Ewing.

Wernik ran 22:19 over 6,000 meters at the Green Lane Fields and Sasse ran 22:35, and the Profs went 1-2-4-5-18 to top The College of New Jersey 30-56, with Stockton [73] and Ramapo [82] also in double figures.

Rowan won three straight conference titles from 1992 through 1994 – the first as Glassboro State, the next two as Rowan University – and also won in 2011, 2012 and 2019.

For Rowan, senior Mia Guerra of Hasbrouck Heights ran 22:10 to win the race, with junior Gabriella Pagano of Pope John XXIII 5th in 22:52 and sophomore Shannon Stakelbeck of Toms River East 18th in 23:52.

Previous Glassboro / Rowan individual winners at the conference meet are Sharon Sittineri of Wildwood in 1992, Suzanne Mergner of Matawan in 1993 and 1994, Michelle Reo of Brick Township in 1995, Jena Peacock of Our Lady of Mercy in 2009 and 2010, Vanessa Wright of Haddonfield in 2011, Danielle Czohla of High Point Regional in 2012, Megan Borz from Buena in 2013, Christin Bettis of Hammonton in 2014 and Diane Ferraro from South Plainfield in 2019.

Megan O’Leary from Cherokee won the 2006 title for TCNJ and Natalie Cooper of Moorestown won in 2016, 2017 and 2018 for TCNJ.

Rowan is ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division 3 Metro Region. Swarthmore is 2nd and TCNJ and Stockton are 3rd and 4th.

The Profs will race in the NCAA Division 3 Metro Region Championships on Nov. 16 at Stockton University in Galloway Township.

TCNJ’s No. 2 finisher was junior Savannah Hodgens from Mainland Regional, who placed 9th in 23:17. Stockton’s 3rd runner was grad student Amanda McNally of Seneca, who placed 13th in 23:35.

Other South Jersey runners: Stockton junior Madelyn Valasek from Shawnee [23rd in 24:01], Rowan senior Mackenzie Saber from Williamstown [29th in 24:25], TCNJ junior Noelle Falzone of Cherokee [31st in 24:31], Rowan junior Isabelle Smith from Ocean City [35th in 24:58], Rowan junior Gianna Burgio from Williamstown [39th in 25:13], Stockton sophomore Sarah Rutledge [47th in 25:27] and Rowan sophomore Raghd Hisham Mahmoud from Egg Harbor Township [50th in 25:45].