Emma Zawatski of Freehold Township, one of the top high school distance running recruits in the country, made her eagerly anticipated college decision on Thursday night.
The winner is...the University of Colorado!!!
Zawatski, a 3-time NJ Meet of Champions winner, also took official visits to Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Oregon.
"I felt a special connection to Colorado when I took my official there, but I was just scared because it was so far and unfamiliar to my family,'' said Zawatski. "My heart kept screaming for me to go to Colorado though, and I am a firm believer in following my heart. Coach (Mark) Wetmore and Coach Burroughs are by far the smartest people I've ever met. Talking to them is like talking to a running google. The men's and women's teams are so integrated together and have so much fun together. I knew if I went there I would be surrounded by a bunch of brothers and sisters.''
Wetmore, the head men's and women's coach at Colorado since 1995, was a star runner and legendary coach at Bernards High in N.J.
"Wetmore was so excited to have a Jersey girl on the team,'' said Zawatski. "He loved our Jersey connection.''
Zawatski has built a remarkable resume during her high school days.
As a sophomore in 2021, Zawatski won the 1,600 at the outdoor Meet of Champions. Then last fall she won the M of C XC title as a junior, and followed that up by winning the 1,600 at the indoor M of C to complete the rare triple crown, which consists of winning a Meet of Champions title in all three seasons.
On the track, Zawatski has personal bests of 4:48.71 for the mile, which is the NJ Junior Class State indoor record, 2:11.13 for 800, and 10:38.13 for 3200m!!!
Zawatski, who qualified for the Champs (now Foot Locker again) National XC Championships last year, has gotten off to a red hot start in her final high school XC season.
After opening her campaign with a victory at the Shore Coaches Invitational on Sept. 30 by running 18:23, a Holmdel PR at the time, Zawatski sliced three seconds off that time this past Tuesday when she ran 18:20 at Holmdel to become the first girl from Freehold Township to ever win the Monmouth County title. Led by Zawatski, Freehold Township won its second straight team title!
