Imagine if you had someone who looked exactly like you; from the color of your hair to the same facial features. This is the case for two Rowan athletes who are identical twins. 

The Rowan men’s indoor track and field team has the pleasure of having one of the most athletic sets of twins, with junior Jarquil and graduate student Marquise Young. The twins from Glendora, NJ are known for being hard-working athletes and being remarkable leaders for the younger generation of the team. 

“They’ve meant a lot to the team, both in what they’ve contributed athletically, but even more so what they’ve contributed with leadership and setting a good example,” said head coach Dustin Dimit. 

Marquise, who was named to the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) All-Conference first team in the 60-meter hurdles in 2022-23, describes having a twin brother as having a best friend. 

“It’s been like having like a forever best friend,” said Marquise. “Always having someone to talk to you you’re never alone. We do everything together.”

Meanwhile, Jarquil, who was named to the NJAC All-Conference first team in the 4×400 relay, understands how important it is to be a supportive teammate and brother. 

“It’s been important,” said Jarquil. “I know the work he’s put in the track. I know all the work he’s put in and the sacrifices he’s taken to get to where he is now.”

Dimit views the twins just like anyone else on the roster, but he also understands the strong relationship that they possess. 

“We just look at them as two individuals like anybody else,” said Dimit. “They have a good dynamic and help push each other, in the offseason and in times where you don’t have official practice.”

Jarquil recounts a time when he took some time off from track coming out of high school and describes how he felt when wasn’t competing. 

“I took about three, four years off,” said Jarquil. “I would say it was difficult at first, you know coming out of high school. I didn’t think I was good enough to run collegiate track. Having my brother there you know convincing me to to try it out and you know proving to myself that I am good enough. I have what it takes to compete at a high level and I felt like, you know, that was very important throughout my journey.”

Having a twin is something that individuals must become accustomed to having in their lives and Marquise has been grateful for his twin brother. 

“I would say to not take it for granted,” said Marquise. “A lot of people out there don’t have close siblings like we do. That’s like 95 percent the same person as you.” 

Dimit expressed how proud he is of the Young twins and their representation of Rowan University as a whole. 

“Can’t be more proud of the hard work they put in,” said Dimit. “The improvement they’ve shown, you know, over the years. The program guys come through and leave a lasting impact on.”

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