The Rowan men ran the 3rd-fastest indoor 800-meter relay in NCAA Division 3 history Friday afternoon at Ocean Breeze, winning the race in 1:25.88.
And they did it without their fastest 200 runner, Eastern’s Rajahn Dixon, who’s ranked 7th in Division 3 this year in the 200 at 21.52 but wasn’t in today’s lineup.
Sophomore Julian Conigliaro from Delsea, sophomore Madaijoudou Diawara from Toms River North, senior Evan Corcoran from Kingsway and junior Eli Hendricks from Penns Grove won the race at the Metropolitan Championships by 15 meters over Ramapo, which placed 2nd in 1:28.36.
Rowan now owns the four-fastest times in Division 3 history, according to the all-time D-3 performance list on the U.S. Track and Cross Country Coaches Association web site:
Additionally, Rowan’s time is tied for 22nd-fastest in college track history, including schools from all divisions.
Rowan set the D-3 record of 1:25.45 with Dixon, Hendricks, Rancocas Valley’s Masai Byrd and Highland’s Robert McKinney this past February at the NJAC Championships at the Ott Center. A team with Corcoran, Amara Conte, Nana Agyemang and Sterling’s Jah’mere Beasley ran 1;25.86 at the Armory in 2023.
Rowan also holds the outdoor record with its 1:25.04 at last year’s Penn Relays with Hendricks, Coniglario, McKinney and Dixon.
According to the World Athletics database, Rowan’s time is No. 2 in the world this year, behind Mladost Zagreb, which ran 1:25.86 at Velesajam Hall in Zagreb, Croatia, last weekend.
Rowan also won the 1,600-meter relay in 3:15.05, fastest this year in Division 3. More on that race later today!
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 