On Friday, Jan. 31, Rowan women’s indoor track and field were back in competition in Staten Island, New York, competing at the METS Championships, placing fifth out of 13 teams in the event. They scored 38 points en route to their fifth-place finish. St. John’s came away with the victory, as Fordham, Manhattan, and Iona fell in second, third, and fourth place.

Gabriella Pagano placed third in the 5000-meter race with a time of 18:09.99. She wasn’t the only Prof in the top five in that race though, as Emily Zanni finished in fifth with a time of 18:39.62.

“I am expecting next week, through conferences and hopefully regionals, her to show what she’s truly capable of,” said head coach Shedrick Eliott III.

Pagano is one of many Profs that have been on the run since August when the cross-country season began.

“It’s a grind,” said Eliott III.

The steps the coaching staff take to ensure that exhaustion does not plague the team are well thought-out, including giving rest in practice and events to the girls, similar to load management.

Ally Wernik also stood out, placing fourth in the mile run, registering a time of 5:12.27.

Plenty of season and personal bests were also set throughout Friday’s event. The 4×400 relay team set their season-best time of 4:00.76, comprised of Nevaeh Lorjuste, Ava Reilly, Jasmine Pope, and Molly Lodge. Lorjuste also set an indoor PR in the 200 meters (25.90), and senior Jasmine Broadway set an indoor PR in the 400 meters (1:00.84).

“For her, it’s all about realizing her potential,” said Eliott III.

Broadway will look to finish strong in her time as a Prof after three seasons with the NJAC Championships and NCAA Division III Championships quickly approaching.

The Profs are now ranked second in the Metro Region rankings according to USTFCCCA. They’ll be back in Staten Island for the Fasttrack Invitational on Friday, Feb. 7, which will be their fourth time competing at the Ocean Breeze Complex this season.