Rising to the challenge is freshman Emma Dewart’s forte. She had never competed in the pentathlon before joining the women’s indoor track team this year, and now she is a state champion, an Eastern College Athletic Conference champion and an All-American in the event.

“I came here as a sprinter and a jumper and [Head Coach Jennifer] Potter a couple of practices into the start of the season was like, ‘I think you’re going to be a multi,’” Dewart said.

Dewart said because she had little experience in some of the pentathlon events, she never expected to place first at the ECAC Championships and said the NCAA Championships were even more intimidating, as she faced off against mostly juniors and seniors.

“I knew I wanted to do well and that I needed to, but going to nationals has been a whole new experience,” she said. “I was walking in as a freshman, not knowing what to expect. I found that the girls were really welcoming, and my nerves kind of disappeared when I got here.”

Of the five events in the pentathlon — high jump, shot put, long jump, 55-meter hurdles and the 800-meter run — Dewart had only competed in the high jump and long jump regularly and the shot put occasionally at Barker High School in Barker, N.Y.

“We toyed around with putting her in the pentathlon in high school,” Barker High School Head Track Coach Bill Wilson said. “But I couldn’t risk having her fall over the hurdles and get hurt so we never did it.”

Last year, Dewart’s ability to rise to a challenge and try new things really shone through. Wilson said he was not sure if she would be able to win a sprint event so he had her compete in the triple jump to pick up points in the field.

“We put her in, and she ended up breaking the school record,” Wilson said. “That’s how we discovered she could triple jump — I didn’t know she knew the steps.”

Wilson said Dewart always put in extra effort by going into school early to work out, and she continues to do that now.

“She works a lot on her core,” Wilson said. “When she came home on breaks, she’d be in the weight room.”

Her father, Jonathan Dewart, was also a long and triple jumper in high school. Wilson said on Saturdays when the team was not practicing, Dewart would be out on the track practicing her jumps with her dad.

With five events to work on, Dewart said pentathletes are usually the last people to leave practice because they end up doing two or three workouts a day.

“She’s an animal,” sophomore teammate Marcia McCord said. “I could never do what she does on a daily basis at a meet.”

In high school, Dewart earned five varsity letters in track and field, as she moved up to varsity in eighth grade, and also lettered in soccer and basketball.

Despite a busy track schedule, Dewart manages to play on the women’s club basketball team at Ithaca as well.

Wilson said Dewart always had good speed, but her jumping ability has come a long way and playing multiple sports has probably contributed to her success.

“I don’t know if she ever stood still,” Wilson said. “Everything she does, she does at high speeds, she goes all out. If she’s walking down the hall, she’s walking fast. If she’s talking, she’s talking fast — that’s the way she’s wired.”

While athletics seem to be her main focus, Dewart is also an excellent student.

After Wilson nominated her, Dewart was named to the 2007–08 All-Western New York Scholar-Athlete team.

Wilson said her studiousness has translated on the track because, as a physical education and health major, she studies sports as well.

While her first indoor season was a big change for Dewart, the change in surface has not affected her jumps.

“She’s jumping more consistently this year than she was last year,” Wilson said. “I’m curious to see how she can do on the high jump outdoors.”

Wilson said Dewart has always been able to pick up on things from older athletes as well as pass her knowledge down to younger athletes. Last season, Dewart worked with three freshmen to set her high school’s record in the 4x100-meter relay.

“She worked with them on handoffs,” Wilson said. “She was kind of like the mother hen last year with us.”

Though she works hard to help her teammates improve, Wilson said Dewart is fueled by competition and hates losing.

“Next year will even be better for her because if there’s a freshman girl that comes into Ithaca and looks like [she’ll] push her, [Dewart’s] going to work hard to beat that little girl,” Wilson said. “She does not want to get beat, especially by someone younger.”