Rowan University Men's Track

Head coach Dustin Dimit enters year 10 in 2024-25, leading the Rowan men’s cross country and track & field programs to great success, winning a total of 21 conference championships and seeing his student-athletes earn over 70 All-America honors individually and as part of relays.   Under Dimit’s guidance, the Profs have won nine consecutive New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) indoor championships and nine-straight outdoor titles. He has also helped propel the cross country team to the three NJAC crowns, including back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023. The first came in 2017, marking the school’s first since 1993 Dimit swept all three NJAC Coach of the Year honors during the 2023-24 and 2022-23 academic seasons, as he led the Profs to team titles in cross county, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field. He also earned coach of the year honors from the USTFCCA for the indoor and outdoor seasons, helping leda the Profs to back-to-back third-place finishes at the Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships. During the 2023-24 indoor season, the Profs produced three All-Americans in Kwaku Nkrumah and Jason Agyemang (60 meter hurdles) and Amara Conte (400 meters). Nkrumah highlighted the 2024 outdoor season by winning the 110 meter hurdles to become the first national champion since the 2021 season as the Profs brought home six All-Americans in six events en route to a third-place team finish. The 2021-22 year saw Dimit win both the indoor and outdoor NJAC Coach of the Year honors in leading the Profs to team championships in each season. At the NCAA Indoor Championship, Rowan produced a national champion in the 4x400 relay and finished in a tie for fifth at the Outdoor Championship. In the 2020-21 outdoor season, Dimit oversaw two NCAA champions, Ahmir Johnson (long jump) and the 4x400 relay as well as six others earning All-America as the Profs finished fourth at nationals. He was named the NJAC and USTFCCCA Region Coach of the Year.   In 2019-20, the Profs captured the NJAC indoor title, with 13 individuals and four relays earning all-conference honors and Dimit being named the Coach of the Year.  Rowan, which also won its third straight indoor All-Atlantic Region title, had Ahmir Johnson, Rakim Coyle, Frankie Richard and the 4x400 and distance medley relay teams earn All-America status as they had qualified for the NCAA Championships before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Profs’ chance for their sixth consecutive outdoor crown was also thwarted by the pandemic as the entire season was canceled.   Dimit’s 2018-19 teams took home the NJAC indoor and outdoor titles for the fifth consecutive year, while the Profs won the All-Atlantic Region Outdoor Championship. He was honored by the conference with its Coach of the Year awards for both seasons and also earned his third straight outdoor Atlantic Region Coach of the Year award from the U.S. Track Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). A total of 34 Profs were named to the All-Conference track & field teams, with four receiving the honor in cross country. Tyler Garland (110m hurdles) and Dan McAleavey (javelin) received All-America status from the NCAA outdoor meet and in cross country, Daniel Henry was the NJAC Runner of the Year and Cyril Harvey was the Rookie of the Year.   The Profs finished in third place at the 2018 NCAA Division III Championship and repeated that finish at the outdoor championship, crowning a total of 11 All-Americans, while Dimit was the Atlantic Region Coach of the Year. Rowan also claimed the team titles at the inaugural All-Atlantic Region Conference Indoor and Outdoor Championships. In cross country, the Profs won the 2017 NJAC Championship for the first time since 1993, snapping a 23-year reign by The College of New Jersey and Kevin Veltre was the individual champion and the conference’s Runner of the Year, and earned All-America status with his 13th-place finish as the Profs were 23rd in the team standings at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.      The 2016-17 season was a banner year highlighted by a pair of Profs winning individual NCAA championships, hurdlers Dave Benjamin (indoor 60 meters) and Anthony Salemo (outdoor 400 meters). The team again swept both NJAC titles, including setting an outdoor meet record of 323 points, while the Profs placed seventh in the team standings at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Jeffrey Tucker was an All-American in two indoor events (high jump, long jump) as was Benjamin (110m hurdles) at the outdoor championship, along with the 4x100 relay. Benjamin was also the Outstanding Track Athlete at both NJAC meets, Tucker was the Outstanding Field Athlete (outdoors) and Matt Grill was the NJAC Outdoor Rookie of the Year. The year started with Rowan hosting the NCAA Cross Country Atlantic Region Championships in which it placed eighth. Dimit was named the NJAC Coach of the Year for both indoor and outdoor and was also the Atlantic Region Coach of the Year for outdoor track.   Dimit again swept the NJAC Coach of the Year awards in 2015-16 as the Profs took home both titles for the second year in a row. Benjamin (indoor 60m hurdles), Salemo (outdoor 400m hurdles), Tucker (outdoor long jump, high jump) and the 4x100 relay (outdoors) each earned All-America status while Tucker was the NJAC’s Outstanding Athlete indoors. The Profs also had a pair of freshmen earn the conference’s Rookie of the Year honors in Jake Liebling (indoors) and Shai Mumford (outdoors).   In his debut season with the Profs in 2014-15, Dimit guided Rowan to the school’s first NJAC indoor championship, snapping a 17-year run by TCNJ, while the outdoor title was the first for the Profs since 1997. He took home both conference coaching honors for the first time in his career while seeing 29 individuals and three relays earn All-NJAC recognition. In the team’s second-place finish at the NJAC cross country championship, Jon Sewnig won the individual title and Runner of the Year and All-Region honors. Sewnig was also the Outstanding Track Athlete at the conference’s indoor meet while Rowan had both Rookie of the Year honorees in Tucker (indoor) and Benjamin (outdoor). The duo also received All-America distinction as did Justyce Pollitt.   Prior to his arrival at Rowan, Dimit was the head coach for men’s and women’s cross country and an assistant with the men’s and women’s track & field programs at Buffalo State College for five years. The Bengals’ cross country team posted its best conference finish in 31 years and had a competitor at the NCAA Championships for the first time in 28 years. While working with the track team, Buffalo State garnered four NCAA top 10 finishes, four SUNYAC titles and one ECAC championship, and had six individuals win national titles and 34 receive All-America status. All told, his student-athletes set 43 school records and won 23 individual conference championships.   Before Buffalo State he served as an assistant coach for both cross country and track programs at Allegheny College, where the teams won a combined six conference cross country championships and 11 NCAC track titles. He started his college coaching career in 2003 at his alma mater, Grove City College, as an assistant men’s and women’s cross country coach, and previously had coaching stints at Pennsylvania high schools Maplewood, Redbank Valley and Shenango.   Dimit is a member of the USTFCCCA Division III cross country executive committee and served as President in 2019-20, while holding other leadership positions since 2010. A USA Track certified Level II jumps coach, Dimit was the lead author of the NCAA’s realignment plan for regions in cross country and track and field, and also coordinated the organization’s national poll for women’s cross country.   A 2003 graduate of Grove City College, Dimit was a decorated runner in his own right, helping lead the men’s cross country and track & field teams to a combined eight Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) championships, and earning All-PAC and PAC All-Academic honors.  A native of Alliance, OH, Dimit received his bachelor’s degree in history with a secondary education certification in social studies and mathematics, and in 2007, earned a master’s in sports administration and sports coaching from the United States Sports Academy.   Dimit and his wife, Megan, reside in Collingswood, NJ.    

Braxton is in his fourth year as an assistant coach with the mens and womens track & field teams. Prior to Rowan, Braxton was an assistant at Kingsway Regional High School from 2008-2011. While there, he coached a two-time Group III state champion in the discus and a Group III state champion in the javelin. Braxton was an All-American in the discus in 2007 while at Rowan. He remains the school record holder in the event at 173 3 (52.81 meters). Braxton was the 2005 club national champion in the shot put, throwing 50 5.5 (15.38 meters) at the USA Track & Field National Club Championships. Braxton is pursuing a bachelors degree in education at Rowan with a specialization in health and physical education.

DuBois completes his third year as an assistant mens cross country and track & field coach. He primarily works with the Profs distance runners. In 2014-15, Rowan won its first New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Indoor Championship and followed it up with the NJAC outdoor title. At the indoor championships, the men won the 5000 meters and the distance medley relay with 13 distance runners accounting for a total of 52 points. Outdoors, the men won the 10,000 meters and 3000 meter steeplechase, with 11 distance runners collecting 57 points. During DuBois tenure, Rowan has had 10 individual champions in the distance events at the indoor and outdoor conference championships. Pat McCurry qualified for the 2015 NCAA Division III Championships in the 3000 meter steeplechase and finished 10 th . The cross country team finished second at the NJAC Championships from 2012-14, missing the title by just one point in 2013. The Profs produced the individual conference champion twice, Jon Sewnig (2014) and Rob Rawls (2013), along with 11 All-Conference selections. Four runners were named to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Atlantic All-Region team and five were selected Academic All-Americans by the USTFCCCA.  Sewnig qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships in 2014 and 2012. While competing for Rowan, DuBois was a three-time NJAC All-Conference runner in cross country and was the 2010 conference runner-up. On the track, he captured the indoor NJAC title in the 3000 meters, won the 5000 meters at both the Eastern College Athletic Conference Indoor and Outdoor Championships in record-setting times and qualified for the 2012 NCAA Division III Championships in the 5000 meters. DuBois was also a two-time cross country national qualifier. In 2011, he had a 67 th place finish (25:03) and was 45 th (25:06) in 2010. DuBois earned his bachelors and masters degrees in civil engineering from Rowan.  

Costello is in his second year as an assistant womens cross country and track & field coach at Rowan University   Costello is responsible for coaching the distance runners.  In 2014, Christin Bettis was the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) cross country individual champion and Rowan came in second in the team scoring.   The Profs captured the NJAC Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships.  During the indoor season, Catherine Dougherty was the conference champion in the 3,000 meters (10:41.30) and the distance medley relay won the NJAC title (13:07.89).   Rowan was the winner in five NJAC outdoor individual championships and three student-athletes qualified for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships.  Bettis was the ECAC champion in the 10,000 meters with a school record of 35:54.55 and Dougherty won the 3,000 meter steeplechase (10:45.93).  The 4x800 meter relay finished in second place.    The 4x800 meter relay set a school record (9:06.40) at the 2015 Penn Relays.  Dougherty (3,000 meter steeplechse) and Bettis (10,000 meters) qualified for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships.   Costello is the founder and head coach of the Franklinville Track Club. He has twice led the club to the Nike Team Nationals (2010, 2011) and has had multiple athletes qualify for the Foot Locker Cross Country Regional and New Balance Indoor & Outdoor Nationals. Costello was previously an assistant track & field coach at Delsea Regional High School. He helped guide the Crusaders to three sectional titles and one state championship. Costello has also been a cross country/distance coach for the South Jersey Rising Stars Track Club and Gloucester County College. He competed for the Profs and was a three-time All-American (1986, 1987 10,000 meters and 1988 5000 meters). Costello was a New Jersey Athletic Conference champion in cross country and in the 5000 and 10,000 meters. Costello is a USA Track & Field Level I certified coach. He graduated from the University in 1988 with a bachelors degree in physical education. Scott Costello is in his second year as an assistant womens cross country and track & field coach at Rowan University.   Costello is responsible for coaching the distance runners.  In 2014, Christin Bettis was the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) cross country individual champion and Rowan came in second in the team scoring.       

Updated 3/25/21   This is Norm Tate’s 13th season as an assistant coach at Rowan University. He instructs the sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers for both the men’s and women’s track and field teams. Tate was named the 2017 and 2012 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Atlantic Region Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year for outdoor track & field and he also earned the award in 2017-18 for indoor track & field.   Tate has helped guide the Prof men to eight New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championships, four indoor and four outdoor. Rowan has had 54 conference champions and 31 All-Americans in events under Tate's tutelage. In 2016-17, Dave Benjamin was the national champion in the 60 meter hurdles at the NCAA Indoor Championships and Anthony Salemo claimed the NCAA title in the 400 meter hurdles at the outdoor championships. The 4x400 meter relay won back-to-back national titles at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships in 2011 and 2012.   The Prof women have captured 10 NJAC titles, five indoor and five outdoor, with Tate on the coaching staff. Rowan has totaled 80 conference champions and 21 All-Americans in Tate's events. Shailah Williams was the 2014 indoor national champion in the 200 meters.   Tate was selected to be the men's head coach for Team USA at the 2017 Pan American Junior Championships. He has also served as an assistant coach for the United States at the 2018 and 2012 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Indoor Championships, 2015 Pan American Games and 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships. In 2010, he coached Team USA at the Five Nations Match in Glasgow, Scotland.   Prior to Rowan, Tate was an assistant coach for the Richard Stockton College men’s and women’s track and field teams from 2007-08. He worked at the Hilton Hotel & Casino Resort in Atlantic City, NJ from 1986-2006 as an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) manager. Tate was the head coach of the men’s and women’s track and field team at Hempstead High School in Hempstead, NY from 1981-86. He led the women’s team to the Nassau County Championship in 1985 and 1986. Tate served as an assistant coach for the men’s track team at Manhattan College for two years (1974-76).   Tate provides the Profs with a lot of international competition experience. He was a member of the 1968 United States Olympic Team in the triple jump. Tate captured the United States National Championship in the long jump in 1966, 1969 and 1970. He was the U.S. Champion in the triple jump in 1969, 1970 and 1971.   Tate graduated from North Carolina Central University in 1966 with a bachelor’s of science degree in physical education. He was a member of the Eagles’ track and field teams from 1961-65. During that time, Tate earned NCAA All-American honors three times (1963, 1964 and 1965) and was a two-time NAIA All-American selection (1964 and 1965). In 1964, he was named the Outstanding Athlete at the Penn Relays. At the 1965 NAIA Championships, Tate was selected the meet’s Outstanding Athlete.   In 1985, Tate was inducted into the North Carolina Hall of Fame. He also joined the Penn Relays Hall of Fame in 1994 and his native East Orange Hall of Fame in 2017. In 2018, Tate was a recipient of the Visionary Leader Award from the Camden County East chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People . He currently resides in Voorhees, NJ.