Emy Ntekpere is finishing her second year at Central and has already written her name not only in Central Washington University’s Track and Field record book but also in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s (GNAC) and National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division II (NCAA DII) record books. In 2025 alone, Ntekpere won the Women’s GNAC Athlete of the year in both Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field, won three national championships, won four individual gold medals at the GNAC Outdoor Championships (the first woman to do so in the league’s history), and has broken three school records along with two GNAC records. In 2024, Ntekpere won GNAC’s Indoor Track and Field Female Freshman of the Year award.
Ntekpere’s record breaking feats started in High School at Washington State’s Skyview High School where in her senior year, Ntekpere placed third in the school’s all time 100 meter hurdle and 300 meter hurdle. While current athletes have placed ahead of her in both hurdle events, Ntekpere set the school’s record for High Jump that still stands at the time of writing. Ntekpere never planned on continuing her Track and Field career to the collegiate level until June of 2023. “I kind of thought after high school, that would just be it,” Ntekpere said. “Then I get a call from a college and I’m like ‘oh my gosh, I can still keep doing track’… it was like a dream come true for me.”
While the opportunity was beyond exciting, Ntekpere knew the challenges it would bring. “The competition is obviously much harder,” Ntekpere said.
“When I was in High School, it was kind of easier until I got to state [competitions]. But now it’s hard all the time, and I always have competition. And that’s really good, I’m always being pushed constantly. So I just really love that I can come to college and still do what I love.”
Despite being outside of the top three of the Triple Jump event only twice, Ntekpere never competed in the Triple Jump at Skyview. It was at CWU where the 5-foot-7-inch sophomore discovered her hidden talent. “It was kind of crazy because I was like ‘okay, I like to jump, so I’ll do these jumps anyways, and see how it goes.’ Like it was kind of fun for me because I’ve never done it before but I actually turned out to be pretty good,” Ntekpere said. Since starting the Triple Jump event for the first time last year, Ntekpere has already broken both the CWU record and the GNAC record.
On May 22, The Observer released a story recapping the events of the GNAC Outdoor championship. During their respective interviews, freshman David Brown, sophomore Lauryn McGough, and junior Carley Huber all gave a shout out to Ntekpere, showing the overwhelming amount of support the Track and Field team has for the sophomore Sprinter. Ntekpere responded to the shoutout during her interview, specifically Huber. “They make you better in all types of ways, in and out of sports, especially Carley [Huber],” Ntekpere said. “She is somebody I met last year and I didn’t know how big of an impact she would have on me… They’re amazing support systems. Every single [teammate]. All of them are going to be in my heart always.” Ntekpere went on to describe how even when teammates couldn’t make the event, they would still text her plenty of support and keep up with every result as they were announced.
Success does not come without fear however. Many great athletes become afraid that they’ve reached their peak once they taste success and Ntekpere isn’t an exception. “I am afraid [this is the peak],” Ntekpere said. “But I don’t know, ever since I was little, I just had this feeling each year is just gonna be better than the year before. I thought last year was my peak, honestly. Then this year came. As long as you have the mindset of the work’s not done yet… you’ll never feel like you’re at your peak.”
Ntekpere finished this year with the GNAC Field Athlete of the Year for both indoor and outdoor competition. She also won three national championships, two for outdoor and one for indoor.
For preparation of the various meets, invitationals, and championships through the year, Ntekpere has plenty of superstitions but regardless, she pushes through. “I try to tell myself, it’s gonna be a great day regardless of what you do and how you feel. You just have to trust yourself,” Ntekpere said. “No matter what happens, I’m still a great athlete, and I can accomplish a lot of things.”
Earlier in the quarter, The Observer did an investigative piece on the Track and Field coaches and the difference of their relationships between the top athletes and the rest. According to Ntekpere, there is little difference. “They care about us in all types of ways,” Ntekpere said. “Sure, there may not be as much focus, but [the coaches] treat us all with the same amount of respect and time and friendship.”
While Ntekpere plans to rest and practice her workouts over the summer, she left a message for all the CWU students. “I’m proud of all of the Wildcats that are here, that are in athletics or not. Everybody is here doing something, they’re all on a mission. I’m so proud of everyone here at CWU. They’re all doing great, fantastic things and they’re all trying their hardest and that’s all you can really ask for.” Ntekpere will be returning to CWU in the fall quarter to start her junior year.
