With multiple state titles and records in the hurdles, Emmanuella Edozien has already accomplished what most athletes can only dream of during their high school careers. But prior to this past weekend’s New Balance Nationals, one goal had eluded the Natick standout — the one she set for herself when she first began competing a few years ago: a top-six finish against the nation’s best and a spot on the All-American team.
Now she has it.
On Sunday, the final day of competition at The TRACK at New Balance, Edozien accomplished her goal. A day after securing the seventh of eight qualify spots with state record performance, the Natick star broke the mark again with a nearly race and time of 8.40 seconds.
Edozien didn’t realize what she did until she looked up at the video board aftter she crossed the line.
“It was great. I was in so much shock after I saw my name pop up in third,” she said. “I really thought I was going to be in sixth, seventh or eighth. I am just super happy and proud of myself, and that everything I did paid off. All the positivity I had the past few days really showed in this race.
Edozien becomes the second hurdler in as many years to earn All American in the 60m HH. In 2025, former Brockton great Lucas Andrade was fourth overall.
“This has been my goal since I started track,” she said. “I knew I wanted to be an All American, and I knew it would probably happen in the 60-meter hurdles my senior year, and it ended up happening.”
Edozien wasn’t the only Bay Stater to make the podium during the meet’s finale. Two days after placing second in the two mile, Westford Academy’s Abby Hennessy secured another silver medal in the mile. With negative splits over the second half of the race, Hennessy broke her own state record with a time of 4:36.74.
In both of her races, Hennessy finished behind Ohio’s Katy Zang. The Teays Valley senior and Indiana signee broke the tape in a meet-record 4:35.02. Zang also captured the two mile in a record-setting 9:37.15 on Friday, a race in which Hennessy finished in a near-state record 9:52.55.
Much like she did in the two mile, Zang took the pace out hard and never let up. By the 800-meter mark – passed in 2:15.77 – she already held nearly a five-second lead on the chase pack, which included Hennessy.
The Washington commit had to contend with a tight pack through the opening 800m that affected her pace somewhat. She was able to break free with a few laps remaining and closed strongly, covering her final 400 meters in 1:05, including a 31-second final 200.
“I had a lot left in the tank,” she said. “If knew had I had a 100 more meters I would have caught her. I was a little disappointed I didn’t get out of the pack. I was stuck behind people earlier. I’m happy with how it turned out given I was all boxed in, especially coming off the two mile race.”
Hennessy continues what’s been a stellar senior campaign that included individual titles at the Meet of Champions and the Brooks Northeast, and a fifth-place showing at the Nationals.
Sharon’s Nina Kye-Aboagye almost made it three All Americans for the day. The gifted sprinter earned the final qualifying spot in the semifinals with a PR of 7.43. She nearly match that time in the finals where she placed eighth at 7.46.
The state produced several other outstanding performances for the day.
Natick’s John Bianchi was 19th among 204 entries in the Championship Mile. The recent Meet of Champions victor raced to a PR of 4:11.45.
State titlist Newton North clocked a season best of 3:58.83 in the 4x400m relay to place 27th overall. Penny Blumenthal, the state 600m champion, blazed her anchor leg in 56.63. Central Catholic was 32nd in 4:00.02, while Amherst Pelham finished 51st with a time of 4:04.57.
Newton North was the top MA squad in the boys’ 4x400m with a time of 3:24.50.
