PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers men's track and field is set to open its 2019 outdoor season at the USF Bulls Invitational on March 22-23. The Scarlet Knights return three All-Americans from the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Championships, six 2018 NCAA East Regional qualifiers, and three Big Ten outdoor medalists. 
 
TOP TRACK EVENT RETURNERS
Seniors Izaiah Brown and Alanzo Aris, and sophomore Taj Burgess return to the 4x400 relay team. Brown and Burgess were two runners in the quartet that set a new 4x400 outdoor record for Rutgers, posting a time of 3:04.67 at 2018 Penn Relays.
 
Brown and Burgess also contributed to a silver medal performance at the 2018 Big Ten's, while Brown and Aris collected Second Team All-America status at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the event.
 
Additionally, Burgess claimed Second Team All-America recognition in the 400m event last season, finishing 16th in the country at Nationals. He also claimed silver in the 400m at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships a year ago.
 
The mid-distance unit of Billy Hill, Jason Schweizer, Jared Skalski, Sean Martinek, Eric Barnes, Ed Zaleck, and Cole Pschunder carry momentum into outdoor following a strong indoor campaign this year. At IC4As, Schweizer, Skalski, Martinek and Hill produced a third-place finish in the 4x400m. At Big Ten Indoors, Hill, Skalski, and Pschunder scored with a podium finish in the distance medley relay.
 
TOP FIELD EVENT RETURNERS
Leading the field returners is graduate Chris Mirabelli. The three-time All-American and two-time Big Ten Champion, redshirted in 2018 after earning First Team All-America status with an eighth-place finish in the javelin at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Additionally, Mirabelli claimed the Big Ten javelin title in 2016 and 2017.
 
Junior Michael Thomas and redshirt-junior Greg Harnett also return to the javelin crew. Thomas is coming off a seventh-place in the javelin at the 2018 Big Ten Championships, while Harnett qualified for the 2018 NCAA East Preliminaries in the event.
 
Sophomore Tobi Tella and Malachi Davis lead the returning jumpers. Tella qualified for the 2018 NCAA prelims in both the long jump and triple jump events. Davis recorded a podium finish in his Big Ten Championship debut last year, finishing seventh in the triple jump.
 
During the indoor season, Tella and Davis each took turns at breaking Rutgers' indoor triple jump record, as Tella holds the top mark with a leap of 15.80m.
 
Junior Perry Christie returns to the high jump, following the recent indoor campaign that saw him collect six meet titles, a fourth-place finish at Big Ten's and a third-place showing at the IC4A Championships in the event.
 
Sophomore Semaj Willis boasts the high jump crew, while also contributing to the 4x400 relay team. Willis collected All-East accolades in both events at the IC4A Championships this season.
 
Senior Jairus Paul also builds off the indoor season in the long jump and triple jump. Paul collected All-East accolades in the long jump at the IC4A Championships, while adding a podium finish in the triple jump at Big Ten's.

John Mooers returns as a regional qualifier in the discus throw from last year, with a mark that ranks third all time in RU history.

Jason Campbell returns to the throws unit to boost the discus event. Overall, Campell, Mooers and newcomer Kamron Kobolak were all top two discus throwers at the NJ Meet of Champions.

NEWCOMERS
Freshman A'Nan Bridgett looks to build off a rookie indoor season that saw him collect two bronze medals in the long jump at both the Big Ten and IC4A Championships.  
 
Two high school all-american runners join the lineup in freshman Antonio Tarantino and Jameson Woodell. Tarantino was the 2018 NJ State Champion in the 200m. His collegiate indoor debut was highlighted by a second-place finish in the 200m at the IC4A Championships.
 
Woodell enters as a top hurdler, placing as the runner-up in the 400IH at the 2018 NJSIAA Meet of Champions and finishing seventh in the event at the 2018 New Balance Outdoor National Championship.
 
Also guiding the hurdlers, sophomore Christopher Jenkins transferred to Rutgers for the 2018-19 season. Jenkins resume includes a third-place finish in both the 110H and 400H at the 2018 Metropolitan Outdoor Championships and podium finishes in each event at the 2018 NEC Outdoor Championships.
 
Freshman Kamron Kobolak carries a 2018 Outdoor NJ State Discus title into his collegiate outdoor debut. Additionally, he was the 2018 Shot Put Runner Up at the NJSIAA Outdoor Meet of Champions.

Transfer Qayyim Ali is poised to have success in the high jump and long jump, carrying from a strong indoor season with the Scarlet Knights. 

SCHEDULE
The Scarlet Knights transition to the outdoor slate with back-to-back meets in the Sunshine State, including the USF Bulls Invitational (March 21-22) and the Florida Relays (March 28-30). The squad then returns to New Jersey for the Sam Howell Invitational at Princeton on April 5-6.
 
RU returns home to host the Metropolitan Championships at the Bauer Track and Field Complex on April 12-13. The following weekend includes the Larry Ellis Invitational and Virginia Relays (April 19-20)
 
The historic Penn Relays are set for April 25-27 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, serving as the final competition before championship season.
 
The Big Ten Outdoor Championships are slated for May 10-12 at the University of Iowa. The NCAA East Preliminaries follow in Jacksonville, Florida on May 23-25.
 
The season wraps up at the NCAA Championships from June 5-8 in Austin, Texas.
 
2018 OUTDOOR RECAP
In 2018, the Scarlet Knights produced six All-Americans, six all-conference performers, four Big Ten Championship medals and 10 NCAA qualifiers. In the classroom, 21 Scarlet Knights earned Academic All-Big Ten recognition, while nine were named Big Ten Distinguished Scholars.
 
Rutgers also collected the 2018 Outdoor Metropolitan Championship title.
 
For a full recap of the 2017-18 season, click here.
 
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics) and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers men's track and field and cross country, follow the program on Twitter (@Rutgers_MensTF). The team is also on Facebook (facebook.com/ RutgersMensTF/).