Emy Ntekpere of Central named USTFCCCA D2 national women's field athlete of the year...
It's the quiet before the storm this weekend as there's no significant competition involving Washington college or pro athletes this weekend, as the NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships get underway on Wednesday in Eugene.
We do have a few items to pass along:
The USTFCCCA named Central Washington jumper Emy Ntekpere (photo courtesy GNAC) as its 2025 Division II Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Field Athlete of the Year.
"This is an incredible honor Emy is more than deserving to have won," said Central Washington head coach Jonathan Hill.
"She's redefining what "good" looks like and what is possible here. She is a hugely valuable part of the community here and when she wins, everyone here celebrates. This an award to celebrate Emy and her amazing achievements, hard work, tenacity, and toughness; but also a team award for everyone that uplifts and inspires each other to create opportunities for moments like these."
The Vancouver, Washington native became the first athlete in NCAA history to win both the high jump and triple jump at the same NCAA Championships meet, which she did in Pueblo, Colorado two weeks ago.
Her field series in the triple jump included the sixth best all-conditions mark in NCAA DII history of 13.32m (43-9), as well as three other marks 13.24m or farther.
Earlier in the season, Ntekpere scored 40 points at the GNAC Championships with victories in the heptathlon, high jump, long, and jumps.
WASHINGTON'S SCOTT NEILSON TO ENTER COLLEGIATE TRACK/XC HALL OF FAME...
Sunday, the USTFCCCA will honor the 2025 Collegiate Track & Field/Cross Country Athlete Hall Of Fame class, which is the fourth class enshrined since its beginning in 2022.
Washington's Scott Neilson (photo courtesy UW Athletics archives) becomes the first Husky to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, which numbers 70, when the class of 2025 gets enshrined.
Neilson is the fourth athlete with Washington ties inducted into the Hall, which includes the late Charlie Greene from Seattle's O'Dea HS, who was an NCAA champion in the sprints at the University of Nebraska; the late Henry Rono of Washington State University, who set four world records in 1978 over 3000, 3000 steeplechase, 5000 and 10000 meters in a span of 80 days, and won six career NCAA titles; and Gerry Lindgren of Washington State, who won 11 career NCAA titles in three years of eligibility, including three straight NCAA cross country titles.
Neilson was unbeatable in the hammer and weight throws during his four years as a Husky from 1976-79. He single-handedly brought home seven NCAA titles, winning four consecutive hammer throw titles outdoors, and three consecutive weight throw titles indoors from his sophomore through senior years. Neilson never lost a collegiate hammer or weight competition.
The British Columbia native was most dominant in the hammer, setting a collegiate record of 72.72m (238-7) in 1978 and nearly matching that with his NCAA title that year at 72.36m (237-5) to win by more than 25 feet – a margin that would remain the event's longest for 18 years.
Neilson also won four consecutive Pac-8/10 hammer titles and was named to the Pac-12 All-Century Team in 2016. During his freshman season in 1976, he was part of the "Fab Four" of Russ Vincent (shot), Borys Chambul (discus), and Rod Ewaliko (javelin) that won all four throwing events at the Pac-8 Conference championship meet in Berkeley.
The induction ceremony takes place Sunday afternoon at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Eugene with the Red Carpet entrance at 5:30 pm, and the program starting at 6 pm.
The public is invited to attend, and admission to the event is free. If you can't make it, media partner RunnerSpace.com will stream the ceremony for free.
We will be on site in Eugene for the Hall Of Fame ceremony as well as the NCAA track and field championships.
NOTE: The USTFCCCA, Great Northwest Athletic Conference, and the sports information offices of Central Washington, and the University of Washington contributed to this report.
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