RALEIGH, N.C.—Graduate student Anthony Rodriguez (Prairie View, Ill.) crossed the finish line with a time of 29.43.73 in the 10,000-meter run at the Raleigh Relays late Thursday night at the Paul Derr Track & Field Facility on the campus of North Carolina State University. 

Rodriguez placed 20th in his heat and 87th overall among 127 competitors while finishing with the second fastest time in program history. His time on Thursday night was just 0.12 seconds behind his personal best of 29:43.61 set at MIT's Sean Collier Distance Night last April. 

Rodriguez was just seconds behind the lead pack over the first 5200 meters and spent nearly the entire race among the top 20 in his heat. He jumped to 18th position at the 6400-meter mark and and was 19th with 2000 meters to go.

A second-team All-American after placing 12th in the 10,000 meters at the Division III Championships last season, Rodriguez was one of two Division III runners in Thursday's field.  Gunner Schlender of Wisconsin-Whitewater came in 78th overall with a time of 29:29.84. Rodriguez finished ahead of 10 competitors from the ACC, seven from the Big Ten and one from the SEC. 

Babson returns to action on Friday and Saturday at Bryant's Black and Gold Invitational.