Seton Hall Prep’s track 4×400 breaks state record at nationals in Boston

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Seton Hall Track Club, composed of Seton Hall Prep athletes, traveled to The Track at New Balance in Boston, Mass., last weekend to participate in the New Balance Nationals, Indoors. 

The 1,600-meter sprint medley relay team, in blazing fashion, won its race in 3 minutes, 27.42 seconds. It serves as the fourth-fastest time in New Jersey history, No. 18 in U.S. history and No. 1 in the nation this season. The quartet consisted of seniors Xavier Donaldson, Ryan Matulonis, Nick DeVita and junior Brandon Williams.

In the 400-meter dash preliminary, Donaldson ran a 47.86 and Matulonis ran a 48.47 but neither qualified for the finals. In the 800-meter run preliminary, DeVita ran a 1:53.92 which was a new school record, but he did not qualify for the finals.

In the 200-meter dash preliminary. Donaldson ran a school record 21.29 and qualified for the finals. In the finals, Donaldson finished in fifth place and bettered his school record in a time of 21.07.

The 4×400-meter relay squad ran a 3:14.53. They blasted a New Jersey record time and No. 4 all-time in the U.S. The members of the team are seniors DeVita, Donaldson, Matulonis and Russell Webb.

This may very well have been Seton Hall Prep’s greatest indoor season ever. They finished the season with two national titles, broke the state record in the 4×400, ran the No. 1 time in the country in both the 4×400 and sprint medley and captured the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Non-Public A championship. Seton Hall Prep assistant coach Steven Trembley said after the race, “We wanted to have our big horses run at the end of the race. Nick ran tough out of the leadoff spot (49.55), Russ ran his best race ever (49.51), Ryan brought us into the lead (47.84) and Xavier did what a great anchor does, he closed it out (47.64).”

Photo Courtesy of Seton Hall Prep