NEW ORLEANS, La. – Three Central Washington University Track and Field athletes were honored by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Monday as West Region Athletes of the Year. 
 
Tacking onto their GNAC Indoor Field Athlete of the Year honors is senior Drew Klein and junior Emy Ntekpere as the West Region Men's and Women's Field Athlete of the Year while freshman Colton Magruder capped off a phenomenal freshman campaign being named the West Region Men's Track Athlete of the Year. 
 
"To be named the best in the West Region is a tremendous honor," CWU Head Track & Field Coach Jonathan Hill said. "For us to receive three of these awards is absolutely incredible. Our team members have created a culture of excellence and committed to a daily pursuit of improvement. We have an amazing support staff that puts us in a position to be successful – from strength and conditioning, to athletic training, to our administrative support – these people allow us to be at our best when it counts.
 
Emy had another dominant year, but not without its setbacks. She fought to get to conference and give her team her best effort. It was more than enough winning the long jump, triple jump, high jump (and placing in hurdles) – for 30 points in the field. Then, getting to the NCAA Championships and competing once again against the best in the NCAA and placing second and third. She scored 14 points at the NCA Championships and that would rank as one of the highest totals of any athlete in that meet. Emy is an incredible athlete, teammate, student, and community member. It's awesome to watch her succeed and be recognized for her work. 
 
Drew was also ready, mentally and physically when it when counted most. Drew could have done several events at the GNAC Championships, but we set out to finish well in just one. He took full advantage and laid down (at the team) the seventh best heptathlon score in the country. He pr'd in shot put and high jump in a big way, paving the way to the NCAA Championships. There, he improved on his season bests, and despite zero event pr's he put together his best total heptathlon of his life. His 5,245 ranked as the top heptathlon score in the west region, he was also ranked top-25 in the long jump, pole vault, high jump, and shot put. Drew had a limited, but extremely memorable senior indoor campaign. 
 
Colton had an incredible introduction to the NCAA breaking out onto the scene in his first race. Colton competes really well, so naturally he responded really well to intense championship environments. He blew away the field and our school/championship met record enroute to the top time in the country to that point (6.62). Colton followed up his 60m performance with a 21.49 in the 200m, good for third and fourth, in the final West Region rankings. His 60m mark ranked him 13th on the U.S. list and earned him a rip to both the U.S. Championship sand the NCAA Championships. Colton competed well both times running in the 6.7's and earned him Second Team All-American honors. Colton is in for a big career with many more big moments to come."
 
Ntekpere can add West Region Field Athlete of the Year to her junior season after being named the GNAC Indoor Women's Field Athlete of the Year last week. He leapt her way to a national runner-up performance in the triple jump and a third place in the high jump at last week's NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships. She posted a season-best 42-3.5 feet in the triple jump, coming up just shy of her second-straight NCAA Indoor Title in the triple jump. Her 5-10.5 feet in the high jump earned her a bronze medal. This indoor season alone she broke the GNAC indoor record for the high jump, was the GNAC Championships Field Athlete of the Meet for the third-straight season, became the first woman in conference history to win the high jump, long jump, and triple jump at the same GNAC Indoor Championships.
 
Klein can also add West Region Field Athlete of the Year to his final indoor campaign after being named the GNAC Indoor Men's Field Athlete of the Year last week.  He rose to the stage and took home his second GNAC heptathlon gold medal, posting personal bests in shot put (40-5.5 feet) and the high jump (6-1.25 feet) in the process of earning 5,149 points. That performance earned him his second GNAC Field Athlete of the Meet for the GNAC Indoor Championships. He then followed that up with a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships last week. He finished with 5,235 points in the event, which is the sixth-most by a GNAC athlete all-time.
 
Magruder, an Ellensburg native, was recognized as an All-West Region performer after having a historic freshman season with the crimson and black. Even though his collegiate story is just getting started he has already made waves. He earned All-West Region honors in the men's 60m and 200m races. He earned a spot at the NCAA Indoor Championships two weekends ago where he placed 16th in the 60m race with a time of 6.76 earning him a Second Team All-American distinction. He also captured the 60m title at the GNAC Championships with a time of 6.62, marking a new personal best and a GNAC Championships record. As only a freshman, Magruder qualified for the USATF Indoor Championships on Staten Island, N.Y. where the Ellensburg native showed out for Ellensburg and the 'Cats, placing 18th in the 60m dash with a time of 6.75.