Big meet Friday for Rowan’s Denirah Jones from Woodbury at the Scarlet Knight Open.
Jones ran a 60 PR of 7.80, 3rd-fastest among NCAA Division 3 freshman and 4th-fastest in Rowan history. She also long jumped 17-11, 9th-best among Division 3 freshmen and one inch off her PR.
She now ranks 2nd in the NJAC in both the 60 and long jump. TCNJ senior Lucia Garcia-Beltran of Hopewell Valley, a Rutgers transfer, ran 7.63 at the Armory earlier this month. Stockton’s Elaina Styer from Ocean City is No. 1 in the long jump with he 18-0 ½ at Ocean Breeze in December.
Jones ran 7.80 in the prelims, lowering her PR from 7.81 from two weeks ago in Lewisburg, Pa. That 7.80 is fastest by a Rowan woman since Aaniyah Robinson from Passaic Tech ran 7.77 when she won the 2018 NJAC Championships at Ocean Breeze.
That 60 was won by Rutgers sophomore Naylah Jones of Timber Creek, who ran 7.56. She’s gone 7.51 this year and has a lifetime best of 7.47 from senior year of high school at 2024 Boston Nationals.
In the long jump, Jones had four jumps over 17 feet, including a 17-8 ¼ and 17-6 ¾ in addition to her indoor PR 17-11.
Jones’ previous college PR was a 16-10 ¾ from Ocean Breeze in December. She had a wind-legal 18-0 at Woodbury at the 2025 Meet of Champions at Pennsauken.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 