"It was so cool, it's the first time I've ever won nationals, and all the fans and everything just made everything that much better," Emmanuel said.
Now he's back in training on home ice, at the University of Delaware.
He is a bundle of energy and, his coach Ron Ludington says, all focus.
"He knows how to focus, and when he focuses he gets lost into what he's doing and he becomes just brilliant," Ludington said.
That brilliance showed when Emmanuel nailed some difficult moves in his championship program.
"I did three triples and two double axles in my progam and some other doubles, so I was really happy with that," Emmanuel said.
"He was exceptional. He didn't make a mistake the whole week," Ludington said.
Emmanuel started skating at age three, when his mom says he would spread powder on the tile floor at home, and skate in it.
Seven years later: He's a champion, balancing a four-hour-a-day training schedule with being an honor student in school.
So what's next?
Well, Emmanuel says he wants to make the Olympic team for the 2014 games.
His coach believes he has what it takes, saying Emmanual reminds him of an Olympic skater who also trained at the University of Delaware: Tara Lipinsky
"Emmanuel is that same type of individual in that he's got his goals and he's not afraid to train. He loves training," Ludington said.
Along with figure skating, Emmanuel also plays the piano, tennis, soccer and is a straight-A student.
