JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Rutgers track and field set records at the 2025 NCAA East First Round, qualifying the most competitors – eight – for NCAA Championships in program history, while also adding a pair of school records.
It marks the fourth consecutive year that Rutgers will send competitors from both the men's and women's team to the outdoor championships. The eight Scarlet Knights in seven events is the most all-time and best mark since 2018 when RU qualified five competitors in four events.
"I've never been prouder of a group of athletes," said
Bobby Farrell, director of track and field & cross country. "This was an unbelievable week of performances. They overcame weather delays, 95 degree temperatures and competing at midnight due to the delays. None of that affected their focus and drive. Not only did we get eight out of 16 through to the NCAA Finals, but 13 out of 16 placed in the top 20. We came to compete."
A Scarlet Knight will compete in three events on the track with
Charlee Crawford,
Chris Serrao and
Bryce Tucker advancing in their respective events.
Crawford broke the women's 400-meter record twice on her way to earning a trip to the NCAA Championships. She broke a 42-year-old record set by Lori McCauley in 1983 in the first round on Thursday, running 52.18. Crawford then improved on that time in the quarterfinals to set the record two days later with a time of 51.80.
Serrao also added a school record, breaking another four-decade old time, in the men's 110-meter hurdles. He ran a time of 13.49 to top the time previously set by Eugene Norman in 1984. Tucker ran 50.00 in the quarterfinals of the 400-meter hurdles to seal his spot at the NCAA Championships.
Rutgers secured a qualifier on the first day of competition at the NCAA East First Round with
Steve Coponi advancing in the javelin. Coponi recorded a throw of 69.87m (229' 2") to make his first trip to the NCAA Championships.
Reigning national champion
Chloe Timberg will return to the Eugene, Oregon for the NCAA Championships with a chance to defend her pole vault title after posting a qualifying height of 4.24m (13' 11"). The Scarlet Knights will send a total of three pole vaulters to the nation finals with
Nico Morales and
Kevin O'Sullivan making their debut on the men's side. Morales and O'Sullivan cleared identical heights of 5.33m (17' 5.75") to qualify for their first NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Paige Floriea will make NCAA Championships debut in her first season with the Scarlet Knights after posting a qualifying mark of 6.22m (20' 5") in the long jump.
The 2025 NCAA Championships will run from Wednesday, June 11 through Saturday, June 14 at Hayward Field.
Full schedule of Events.
