Natick High’s Emmi Edozien was one of the best kept secrets during the 2024-25 school sports campaign in the Metrowest area.

The 16-year-old Edozien, who’ll be a senior this fall, will be competing again for the Redhawks’ indoor and outdoor track squads. And, if her results are anything like her junior-year achievements, then both of Natick’s girls teams will benefit in a major way.

A native of Natick, Edozien set eight records — two at the state level and the other six were school records. She was chosen to four all-star teams, was a league MVP, and at the conclusion of the indoor season she was selected as the female Athlete of the Year by the Mass. State Track Coaches Association. 

Her time of 7.96 seconds in the 55-meter hurdles was an indoor state and school record. Her other indoor records are 19 feet, 4 inches in the long jump and a time of 8.62 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles.

She also set outdoor records in the 100-meter hurdles, the long jump, and the 100-meter run. She holds the state and school record in the 100-meter hurdles (13.57 seconds), and school records in the long jump (19 feet, 5¾ inches) and the 100-meter run (12.12 seconds).  

Her record-setting numbers and accolades may not have been highly publicized but they didn’t go unnoticed at the University of Pennsylvania or Villanova, two colleges that have rich track-and-field traditions. The 5-foot-6 honor-roll student also has about a dozen other Division 1 schools in pursuit of her talent.

“I visited U-Penn and Villanova,’’ Edozien noted. “Penn is high on my list and Villanova is also high up. I’ll probably decide on a school in October or November. There’s still some homework to do and some questions to be answered.’’

Edozien hasn’t decided on her college major yet but she’s interested in criminal justice, aviation and sports management. 

Kathy Fleming, the Redhawks’ indoor and outdoor coach, has no doubts about Edozien’s future. “She will absolutely be a top-notch competitor in college,’’ Fleming emphasized. “As a junior, she was heavily recruited by many Division 1 colleges.’’

The goals Edozien has set for her senior year are lofty but she’s a highly motivated athlete. 

“I want to win the 55-meter hurdles event again at the state level,’’ she said. “And, I want to win the New England Championship in both the hurdles and long jump. As a junior, I was second in both events. And, I want to place in the New Balance Nationals in the 60-meter hurdles. I was 16th as a junior but to place I will need to finish 1-8.’’ 

Two attributes that make Edozien outstanding are her speed and her skills. But, there’s more, much more.

“What makes Emmi special are her high track IQ, her mental and physical toughness, her coachable nature and her goal-oriented approach to track,’’ Fleming offered. “She’s a student of the sport, she’s willing to work on any weaknesses, she listens and responds, and she strives for achievement.’’

Edozien began competing in track in the spring or her freshman year. A gymnast first, she injured her wrist and needed surgery. 

“I turned to track because I wouldn’t have to put as much pressure on my wrist,’’ she said. “I chose the hurdles and long jump. The long jump involves lots of athleticism and, like gymnastics, your steps have to be accurate. In gymnastics, there’s jumping and the hurdles involve less running and more jumping.’’

After two indoor seasons and three outdoors, Edozien can easily identify her best meet and her top thrill in track. They both occurred in her junior year.

“The Division 1 state meet was my best,’’ she noted. “That’s where I set the school and state record in the 55-meter hurdles. My 7.96 time became my personal best and my goal in that meet was to finish the event under 8 seconds.’’

The Athlete of the Year Award heads the list of memorable thrills. “I never knew about the award but when I was chosen by the state’s track coaches, I was humbled and pleased to receive that honor,’’ she said. “It was cool to win a statewide award and it was a testament to hard work.’’

Edozien’s other honors include a four-time Bay State Conference all-star, a three-time Metrowest all-star, selection to the Boston Globe and Boston Herald’s all-star teams, and selection as the Bay State Conference’s MVP for the indoor season.

An elite track competitor, Edozien credits her coach for her emergence. “Coach Fleming is approachable, easy to talk to and so knowledgeable about track,’’ she said. “A good motivator, she modifies workouts to adjust to all the athletes’ needs. She’s a great coach.’’

Two teammates Edozien rates as top-notch competitors are Chloe Elder and Sydni Chandler. Elder, who’ll be a senior, competes in the 200 and 400-meter runs, and Chandler, who graduated in June, competed in the triple jump, high jump, hurdles and pentathlon.

“They’re both close friends,’’ Edozien said. “Chloe is skilled in her events and Sydni was a terrific leader in her role as a captain.’’

As the summer moves along, Edozien will continue with an intense training regimen. She belongs to a club team, the Metro Cobras of Boston, and will work on her strength and conditioning at a workout facility in Norwood.

“I’m focused on club track through July and I’ll be working on speed training and weightlifting in Norwood,’’ Edozien said.

Calling her parents (Katrice and Victor) role models for their support and encouragement, Edozien also gets support from her sister Victoria. 

Relying on a competitive philosophy of pushing herself to improve, Edozien says she’s learned some valuable life lessons from track.

“I’ve learned to overcome adversity and to be resilient,’’ she noted. “And, sports can help to make a competitor a strong leader and a quality teammate. Accepting responsibility and being accountable are also good life lessons that can be learned in athletics.’’

Emmi Edozien was a dynamic athlete as a junior — for her record-setting numbers and her accolades. She got some notice but she should have gotten more. She’ll no doubt be in the spotlight as a Natick High senior and it’s obvious that a track-savvy college or university will be eagerly awaiting her arrival.