From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Sterling’s Sam Agbessi, a Rowan sophomore, earned All-America honors in the 400-meter hurdles Saturday in his 1^st individual race ever at an NCAA Championships.

Agbessi ran 52.21 and placed 5^th at the Division 3 Nationals in La Crosse, Wisc. On Thursday, in his NCAA debut, he ran a leg on Rowan’s 1,600-meter relay team, which qualfied for the final later Saturday.

Agbessi is Rowan’s 1^st NCAA medalist in the 400-meter hurdles since Anthony Salemo from Ramsey High placed 2^nd in the 2018 meet in 51.06 in his final collegiate race, also on the La Crosse track.

Agbessi never broke 55 at Sterling and ranked 22^nd in New Jersey as a high school senior in the spring of 2023. But now he’s an NCAA Division 3 All-America with a chance at a 2^nd All-America performance later Saturday.

With Agbessi’s four points, Rowan increased its total to 65 in 2^nd place behind host La Crosse, which now has 86. Rowan is 16 ahead of 3^rd-place Wisconson Oshkosh.