Seth Clevenger ran away from the field and won the 5,000 Friday at the NCAA Division 3 Championships in Birmingham in meet-record time.
Clevenger, a Rowan junior from Haddonfield, won the 5,000 in a meet-record 13:33.55, finishing 150 meters ahead of 2nd-place Aidan Matthai of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, who ran 14:03.55
Clevenger broke the meet record of 13:47.01 set in 2023 by Christian Patzka of Wisconsin-Whitewater and ran within 1 ½ seconds of his own NCAA Division 3 record of 13:32.09 that he set last month in Boston.
Rowan’s last national champion distance runner was Oakcrest’s Don Deckert, who won the steeplechase in 1984. Their last indoor distance All-America was his brother Don Deckert, who placed 3rd in the 5,000 in 1986.
Clevenger came through 1,600 meters in 4:17.56 and already had a 60-meter lead. He came through 3,000 meters in 8:07.58 and 3,200 in 8:40.94. He ran his third 1,600 in 4:23.60 and closed in 31.05 for his final lap, 63.17 for his final 400 and 2:07.83 for his final 800.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 