GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— Colorado Mesa University triathlon coach Jen Mathe has announced that Paralympic hopeful Emma Meyers has signed a national letter of intent to continue her education and compete with the Mavericks, beginning in the fall of 2024.
 
When she does compete for the Mavs, Meyers will become the first para-athlete to compete alongside other athletes in NCAA triathlon at the varsity level, according to Mathe, who did note that there have been other para-athletes who have previously competed for colleges at the club level.
 
Meyers is currently a high school senior at Booker T. Washington High School in Pensacola, Florida and is ranked fourth in the World Triathlon Para Triathlon Rankings for the PTS4 class.
 
Currently 17, she has been the youngest athlete to compete in the Para World Championships for each of the past two years and recently placed fifth at both the World Triathlon Para Championships in Pontevedra, Spain and at the Paralympic Test Event in Paris, France, which will host the 2024 Paralympics from Aug. 28-Sept. 8.
 
Meyers has also recorded four top-3 finishes in the World Triathlon Para Series during the 2023 season, winning the Swansea, Wales event on July 15.  She also won the 2022 USA Paratriathlon National Championship.
 
Her triathlon coach is Aaron Scheidies and her club swim coach is Robin Heller.
 
The daughter of Leah Finneseth-Meyers and Jacob Meyers, she plans to major in social work.  She is also the member of the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Student Government Association and Beta.  She aspires to work with non-profit organizations to advocate for people with disabilities by promoting healthy lifestyles and mental health.
 
PTS4 is one of nine sport classes in para triathlon and according to the World Triathlon website (https://www.triathlon.org/paratriathlon/categories) is for athletes with moderate impairments.  The website goes on to say, "In both bike and run segments, amputee athletes may use approved prosthesis or other supportive devices. Includes athletes with comparable activity limitation and an impairment of, but not limited to, limb deficiency, hypertonia, ataxia and or athetosis, impaired muscle power or range of movement."
 
Meyers was born in China and adopted at age 2 before having a leg amputation surgery soon after.  She was recently mentioned in an Outdoor+ article as having one of the most underrated triathlon performances in 2023 (so far) and was featured in an episode of the Voices United in Education Podcast.
 
When asked about why she chose CMU, Meyers stated, "I chose CMU for multiple reasons. When I was making my decision between schools, I had several questions and every employee from advisors, professors and coaches that I spoke with was very responsive and proactive.  I am impressed with the triathlon coach and team, and the campus and the area are beautiful."
 
The CMU triathlon team has won five consecutive NCAA Division II West Region titles and finished third at the Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championships in Tempe, Arizona last month, their fifth consecutive top five national finish.