Rowan Athletics

GLASSBORO, NJ – Rowan University’s Kyle Hayes and Jenn Rawls will compete in the long jump and 5000 meters respectively at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track Championships on Friday-Saturday, March 12-13. The national championships will be held at DePauw University in Greencastle, IN.

Hayes (jr. Pt. Pleasant, NJ/Pt. Pleasant Boro) qualified for the NCAA Championships by taking first place at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships (Mar. 5-6) with a jump of 23’ 5.25” (7.14 meters). His leap was better than the NCAA provisional (22’ 8.5”, 6.92 meters). Among the 16 entrants in the national championships, he has the seventh best distance. The long jump preliminaries and final are at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, March 12.

“This is Kyle’s fifth time at the national championships (three indoor and two outdoor),” said head men’s track coach Bill Fritz. “He is a two-time All-American at the outdoor championships and his goal is to earn All-America honors at the indoor meet. He is getting a lot more consistent. Kyle usually comes through in tough situations and we look for him to have a good performance. Assistant coach Norm Tate will be joining us on the trip and he is a fantastic long jump coach. The two of them make a deadly pair.”

Rawls (fr. Runnemede, NJ/Highland Reg.) earned a spot at the national championships by capturing first place in the 5000 meters at the ECAC Championships with a time of 17:09.15. She broke her own school record (17:38.63), which she set at the Collegiate Track Conference (CTC) Championships (Feb. 12-13). Her time at the ECACs was better than the NCAA automatic qualifier (17:10.00). She ranks sixth among the 15 competitors at the national championships. The 5000 meter run is at 4:20 p.m. on Saturday, March 13.

“This is exciting for the program,” stated head women’s track coach Ringo Adamson. “Jenn is extremely fit at this point. She is a competitor and does not pay too much attention to who is around her; which is a great attribute, she just runs. If Jenn gets out with the group, I think she can finish in the top five.”

This is Hayes’ fifth appearance at the NCAA Championships. In 2009, he finished fourth with a distance of 23’ 2.75” (7.08 meters) for All-America honors at the outdoor championships. He was also an All-American at the 2008 outdoor nationals after taking seventh (22’ 8”, 6.91 meters). At the 2009 indoor championships, Hayes came in 12th place with a leap of 22’ 4.5” (6.82 meters). He captured 10th in 2008 with a jump of 22’ 10” (6.96 meters).

This season, Hayes won the long jump at the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championships (Feb. 22) with a distance of 22’ 0.25” (6.71 meters) to earn All-Conference first team honors. He placed second at the NYC Gotham Cup (Jan. 15) and John Covert Classic (Jan. 23) with leaps of 23’ 1.75” (7.05 meters) and 22’ 7.25” (6.89 meters) respectively. His performance at the NYC Gotham Cup was a NCAA provisional. Hayes also took fifth at the Thomson Invitational (Jan. 30) with 21’ 9.5” (6.64 meters).

Rawls only competed in the 5000 meters in two meets this year, winning both. At the CTC Championships (Feb. 12-13), she was first with a time of 17:38.63, which was better than the NCAA provisional (17:42.00). Her other first place finish came at the ECAC Championships (Mar. 5-6). She won the one mile at the NJAC Championship with a time of 4:56.79, breaking the school and meet records en route to earning All-Conference first team honors. In her rookie year, Rawls has broken five University records, three individual and two relays. She has the school’s top times in the one mile (4:56.79), three mile (16:35.20) and 5000 meters (17:09.15). Rawls ran on Rowan’s all-time best 4x800 (9:35.31) and distance medley (12:40.75) relays.

For live video and results of the NCAA Division III Indoor Track Championships visit the official championships website at http://www.ncaa.com/sports/c-itrack/champpage/c-itrack-div3-index.html.