Results
Highlights Video
Thursday Full Replay Video

CLAREMONT, CA – Rowan University’s Demetrius Rooks, Ali Ejaz and the 4x400 meter relay advanced to the finals at the 2012 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships.  The national championships continue on Friday-Saturday, May 25-26 at Burns Stadium on the campus of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges. 

Rooks (jr. Galloway, NJ/Absegami) won heat three in the prelims of the 400 meter hurdles.  His time of 51.79 was the fastest among the 20 competitors.  He will compete in the final on Saturday at 7:55 p.m.  At the 2011 NCAA Championships, Rooks took second (51.98) in the 400 meter hurdles for All-America honors.

Ejaz (jr. Glassboro, NJ/Glassboro) took fifth place in the 200 meters prelims.  He shattered the school record in 21.18.  The old mark was 21.33 by Rich Dixon in 1999.  The 200 meters championship is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. on Saturday. 

The 4x400 meter relay won the first heat with a time of 3:10.77 and was first overall out of 16 teams.  The relay included the defending national champions Jayce Maxwell (sr. Toms River, NJ/Monsignor Donovan), Taylor Purdue (jr. Highland Lakes, NJ/Vernon Twp.), Ejaz and Rooks.  Their time was a season best.  Last year, the Profs recorded a winning time of  3:11.45.  The final of the 4x400 meter relay is the last event on Saturday at 9:30 p.m.

The 4x100 meter relay finished 13th overall (41.69) in the prelims.  The relay consisted of Brandon Taylor (jr. Woodstown, NJ/Woodstown), Maxwell, Marcus Rawls (so. North Brunswick, NJ/Florence Twp. Mem.) and Ejaz.  The 4x100 meter relay had a national qualifying time of 41.63 that was first at the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships

Rooks qualified for the NCAAs with a time of 51.76, which was third among the top performances in the 400 meter hurdles.  His time came at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships where he took first place. The 4x400 meter relay was ranked fifth among the NCAA competitors with a time of 3:12.94.  Ejaz advanced to nationals with a time of 21.45.   

Steven Iafrate (so. Closter, NJ/Demarest) will compete in the javelin on Saturday at 3:40 p.m.  He has qualified for the national championships two straight years.  In 2011, Iafrate finished ninth with a throw of 202’ 6” (61.72 meters).

The schedule for the Rowan athletes at the national championships is below.  Results and live video are available at ncaa.com. 

2012 NCAA Division III Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Saturday, May 26 – finals
3:40 p.m. – javelin
7:55 p.m. – 400 meters hurdles
8:20 p.m. – 200 meters
9:30 p.m. – 4x400 meter relay