In his first outdoor college race, Rutgers freshman Yashahya Brown from Washington Township moved into the all-time Rutgers top-10 in the 110-meter hurdles.
Brown ran 14.13 and placed 3rd at the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational at the University of Miami’s Cobb Stadium in Coral Gables, Fla.
It was Brown’s first-ever outdoor race over the 42-inch barriers.
Brown’s 14.13 is No. 9 in Rutgers history and not far off the fastest time by a South Jersey hurdler at Rutgers. Chais Hill of Highland ran 14.08 at the 2016 Georgia Tech Invitational in Atlanta.
This was Brown’s first outdoor high hurdles race since he won West Philly Nationals in June in 13.52 over the 39-inch hurdles.
He only competed in one meet indoors, running 7.86 for the 60-meter highs at the Armory in early December, 3rd-fastest in Rutgers history. He didn’t race again until last weekend, when he ran a PR 55.91 in the intermediates in a meet in Tampa.
So Saturday was his first shot at his specialty, and his time is 8th-fastest in NCAA Division 1 by a freshman so far this outdoor season. It’s also 7th-fastest in the Big Ten Conference and fastest by a Big Ten freshman.
Rutgers junior Eric Foster Jr. of Willingboro was 6th in the race in 14.83.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 