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2021-22 Men's Track & Field Roster

Ben Solomon
Brendan Maloney
KC McGinnis
KC McGinnis
KC McGinnis
KC McGinnis
David Nemec/Rutgers Athletics
Roger Hart/Michigan Photography
Mike Lawrence/Rutgers Athletics
AJ Mast

Taj Burgess

Taj Burgess

  • Position:
    Sprints
  • Class:
    Senior
  • Hometown:
    Jersey City, N.J.
  • Highschool:
    Carteret
  • Major:
    Africana Studies

Summary

Biography

Burgess' All-Time Results

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
2021 Outdoor Second Team All-American (400m)
2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships Qualifier (400m)
2021 NCAA Outdoor East Region Qualifier (400m)
2020-21 Indoor All-American (Second Team)
2020-21 NCAA Indoor Championship Qualifier (400m)
2019-20 Indoor All-American (400m)
2019-20 NCAA Indoor Championship Qualifier (400m)
2019-20 Big Ten Indoor Athlete of the Week (Jan. 15, 2020)
2019-20 Named the National Indoor Athlete of the Week by the USTFCCCA (Jan. 14, 2020)
2019 Outdoor Honorable Mention All-America (400m)
2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships Qualifier (400m)
2019 NCAA Outdoor East Region Qualifier (400m, 4x400m Relay)
2018 Outdoor Second Team All-American (400m)
2018 NCAA Outdoor Championships Qualifier (400m, 4x400m Relay)
2018 NCAA Outdoor East Region Qualifier (400m, 4x400m Relay)
2018 Big Ten Outdoor Silver Medalist in 400m and 4x400 relay 
2018 Second Team All-Big Ten in 400m and 4x400 relay (Outdoor 2018)

RECORDS: 
Indoor school record - 500m (Indoor 2019-20)
Second fastest NCAA all-time record - 500m (2019-20) 
Indoor school record - 4x400m relay team (Indoor 2018-19)
Outdoor school record - 4x400m relay team (Outdoor 2019)

2022 (Indoor): Ran in a leg of the 4x400m relay which placed third with a time of 3:10.33 at the Meyo Invitational. 

2021 (Outdoor): Set a school record as a leg in the 4x100m with a time of 39.80 which placed first at the Fighting Illini Big Ten Relays … placed first with a time of 47.24 (400m) at the B1G Invitational …  ran in a leg of the 4x100m relay which placed second with a time of 40.60 at the B1G Invitational … placed first with a time of 46.22 (400m) at the Husker B1G Invitational … ran in a leg of 4x400m relay which placed second with a time of 3:11.27 at the Husker B1G Invitational … placed second with a time of 45.90 (400m) at the Jesse Owens Invitational. 
 
2021 (Indoor): Placed first with a time of 47.01 (400m) at the Nittany Lion Opener … ran in a leg of the 4x400m relay which placed first with a time of 3:13.99 at the Nittany Lion Opener … ran in a leg of the 4x400m relay which placed second with a time of 3:18.50 at the Penn State Invite … placed first with a time of 46.76 (400m) at the Penn State Tri Meet … ran in a leg of the 4x400m relay which placed first with a time of 3:12.32 at the Penn State Tri Meet …  placed third with a time of 46.43 (400m) at the Spire Institute Open … placed third with a time of 45.82 (400m) at the Big Ten Championships … placed third with a time of 46.46 (400m) at the NCAA Championships.  
 
2019-20 (Indoor):
  • Qualified for the 2019-20 NCAA Indoor Championships in the 400m with a time of 46.17. 
  • Finished fourth in the 400m earning a spot on the podium at the Big Ten Indoor Championships (Feb. 29)
  • Came in fourth in the 400m at Arkansas' Tyson Invitational (Feb. 14-15)
  • Contributed to the 4x400m relay's sixth place finish with a time of 3:10.03 at Arkansas' Tyson Invitational (Feb. 14-15)
  • Finished second in the 400m at the Meyo Invitational (Feb.8)
  • Contributed to the 4x400m relay's third place finish with a time of 3:09.53 at the Meyo Invitational (Feb.8)
  • Contributed to the 4x400m relay's first place finish with a time of 3:10.97 at the Metropolitan Championships (Jan. 31)
  • Finished first in the 500m at the Metropolitan Championships (Jan.31)
  • Finished first in the 200m at the Metropolitan Championships (Jan.31)
  • Contributed to the 4x400m relay's second place finish with a time of 3:13.18 at the John Thomas Terrier Classic (Jan. 25)
  • Finished first in the 500m with a time of 1:00.73, resetting the program record and the second-fastest all-time mark in the NCAA, at the John Thomas Terrier Classic (Jan.25)
  • Came in first in the 400m with a time of 46.63 at the Vanderbilt Invitational (Jan. 17-18)
  • Won the 500m with a time of 1:00.80 at the TCNJ Lions Invitational, which also set the second-fastest run all-time in the NCAA (Jan. 11)
2019 (Outdoor):
  • Finished 18th in the nation iin the 400m with a time of 46.45 at the NCAA Championships (June 5), earning Honorable Mention All-America status. 
  • Finished eighth in the 400m with a time of  45.86 at the NCAA East Preliminary (May 24), advancing to the Championships.
  • Finished sixth in  the 400m with a time of 46.39, while contributing the sixth-place 4x100m and eighth-place 4x400m relays at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships (May 12). 
  • Finished sixth in the 400m with a time of 47.57 at the Virginia Challenge (April 19-20). 
  • Won both the 200m (21.25) and 400m (46.06), while also contributing to the first-place finish for the 4x100m relay to help collect the team title at the Metropolitan Championships (April 13). 
  • Broke the outdoor record with the 4x400m relay team, posting a time of 3:04.27 also at Florida relays (Mar. 30)
  • Took second place in the 200m (21.30) and 400m (45.92) at the USF Bulls Invite (Mar. 23).
2018-19 (Indoor)
  • Won the 400m (46.09) and finished third in the 200m (21.14) at the IC4A Championships, earning All-East accolades in both events (Mar. 3). 
  • Also, contributed to the 4x400m title at the IC4A Championships, earning All-East accolades in the event (Mar. 3). 
  • Finished fourth in the 400m with a time of 46.49 at the Big Ten Indoor Championships (Feb. 24). 
  • Broke the indoor school record with the 4x400m relay team, clocking a time of 3:08.00 to finish fourth at the Big Ten Indoor Championships (Feb. 24). 
  • Posted a time of 46.84 in the 400m at the Clemson Invite (Feb.8-9). 
  • Broke the RU 500m record with a NCAA-leading time of 1:01.34 at the Metropolitan Championships (Feb. 1). 
  • Won the 400m with a personal-best indoor time of 46.64 at the Terrier Classic (Jan. 26).
  • Won the 200m title (21.37) and 400m title (46.69) at the Penn 8-Team Select (Jan. 19).
  • Won the 500m title (1:02.43) at the TCNJ Lions Indoor Invite (Jan. 12).
2018 (Outdoor): 
  • Earned Second Team All-America status in the 400m with a time of 46.16 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, finishing 16th in the nation (Jun. 6)
  • Advanced to the NCAA Championships in the 400m with a time of 45.88 to finish third in his heat and in the 4x400 with a team time of 3:06.77 to finish second in the heat
  • Qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary Championships in the 400m (8th seed) and 4x400 relay (5th seed)
  • Collected a Big Ten silver medal in the 400m with a PR time of 45.60 at the championships (May 11-13), earning Second Team All-Big Ten accolades
  • Contributed to a Big Ten silver medal in the 4x400m relay at the championships (May 11-13), posting a 3:06.85 and earning Second Team All-Big Ten accolades
  • Helped set the school record in the 4x400 relay with a time of 3:04.67 at Penn Relays, finishing fourth in the historic finals (Apr. 28)
  • Recorded a time of 21.32 in the 200m at the Virginia Challenge (Apr. 20)
  • Won the title in the 400m with a time of 46.23 at the Tennessee Relays (Apr. 13), marking the second-fastest time in the Big Ten at the time
  • Clocked a time of 20.92 in his outdoor debut in the 200m also at the Tennessee Relays (Apr. 13)
  • Finished sixth in the 400m with a time of 46.31 at the Florida Relays (Mar 29-31)
  • Contributed to the 4 x 400 relay third-place finish (3:10.92) at the Florida Relays (Mar. 29-31)

2017-18 (Indoor):
  • Runner-up in both the 200m (21.44) and 400m (46.76) at the IC4A Champions (Mar. 3-4), posting PRs in each en route to All-East honors in both events
  • Also collected All-East recognition with the 4 x 400 relay team that finished second after posting a season-best time for the Scarlet Knights of 3:10.48 at the IC4As
  • Finished fifth in the 400m dash with a time of 46.96 at the Big Ten Championships (Feb. 23-25)
  • Joined the 4 x 400 team at the Big Ten Championships, clocking a time of 3:12.51
  • Finished fourth in the 200m with at time of 21.62 at the SPIRE Institute Invitational (Feb. 9-10)
  • Runner-up in the 400m with a time of 47.90 at the Columbia Challenge (Jan. 27)
  • Won the 200m and 400m for second straight meet at the Penn 8-Team Select (Jan. 20)
  • Contributed to the 4 x 400 victory also at the Penn 8-Team Select (Jan. 20)
  • Won the 200m and 400m in Rutgers debut at the Towson Tiger Invitational (Jan. 14)

Prior to Rutgers: 
  • Rated as the top 400m runner in New Jersey and No. 22 400m runner in the country according to MileSplit
  • Named First Team All-State and All-Group II by the Star-Ledger
  • Won the NJSIAA Group 2 400m title in 2016 as a junior
  • Finished second in the 400m at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions
  • Produced personal best of 47.40 in the 400m at the NJSIAA Sectional Championships, where he finished first
  • A three-time MVP at Carteret High School
Personal:
  • Son of Sheena Wilson ... has one sibling, Tyree
  • Member of The National Society of High School Scholars and High Honor Roll
  • Proudest sports moment was becoming the No. 1 rated 400m runner, dropping nearly two seconds off his best time
  • Greatest sports influence is Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson

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Historical Player Information

  • 2017-18Freshman

    Sprints

  • 2018-19Sophomore

    Sprints

  • 2019-20Junior

    Sprints

  • 2020-21Redshirt Junior

    Sprints

  • 2021-22Senior

    Sprints
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