Pittsburg, Kan. - Sunflower Greene is used to making history. But this...this is next level stuff. With a PSAC-record heave of 53-4 1/4, the Millersville University junior won the NCAA Division II Indoor Shot Put Championship Saturday night. 

Greene became the first Millersville track and field athlete to win an individual national championship and joined swimmer Susan Rorison (1982) as the lone female Marauders to win the nation's top prize. 

That the best toss of her career came at the NCAA Championships was no surprise, however. Greene had one-upped herself all season, starting with a then-school record 49-1 1/2 on Dec. 2 before re-setting her own school and conference record in five consecutive events. Friday's championship-winning mark was a full 16 1/4 inches better than her winning throw at the PSAC Championships just two weeks ago. 

"We always say you only need one good one," said Greene. "It came at the perfect time. We've worked all season on being patient and then getting the shot out fast. I was happy with that throw, and I would have been happy with that no matter how the (standings) ended up."

"I'm not surprised (by the distance)," said Millersville throws coach Brittany Hartman. "We knew she was capable of hitting those numbers. It was just a matter of hitting everything right."

Greene was the first competitor in the second flight and hit 48-8 1/4 on her first attempt, putting her in a distant second behind Michaela Dendinger's 53-1 1/2. Dendinger of Wayne State (Neb.) came into the event as the favorite, having hit a NCAA-best 54-10 1/4 earlier in the season. 

But Greene unseated Dendinger on attempt No. 2 when her shot put landed at the eventual-winning distance of 53-4 1/4. That put Greene in first heading into the finals, but with eight other competitors having three more attempts each, she knew the event wasn't finished. 

"It was a real competition," said Greene. "Everyone was still in it. There were a lot of them capable of hitting 16 (meters)."

Hartman and head coach Andy Young anxiously watched each round pass with Greene remaining at the top of the leaderboard. Greene hit 49-7 1/4 in round three, fouled in round four and recorded a mark of 51-7 1/4 in the fifth. Dendinger was the only other athlete in the field who had a mark over 53 feet all season, but she couldn't top Greene Friday. Dendinger's final attempt landed at 52-10 1/4, just six inches shy of Greene's best. 

"It was a feeling of relief," said Hartman. "We were thinking, 'did this really just happen?'" 

Greene is now a two-time indoor All-American and a three-time All-American including outdoor shut put. Saturday's results also served as a measure of redemption for the competitive Greene following her 15th-place finish in the weight throw Friday. 

"I used that as extra motivation," said Greene. "I wanted to show everyone that I was here for a reason and that was to compete." 

"I sent her a text last night telling her that it's OK to be upset but to get over it and start focusing on the shot," said Hartman. "She pulled herself back together and used that as motivation tonight."
 
While Greene admitted that she had not yet felt the gravity of winning a national championship, she knew it cemented her legacy in Millersville history.

"It means a lot to know my name will be there in the record books once I leave Millersville," said Greene.

The Millersville track and field program has had its share of national success in recent years with All-America athletes like Kiara Allen, Erin Madison and Amanda Myers, but Hartman thinks Greene's win puts Millersville's program in a new light.

"I think it helps brings us a reputation, puts us on the map," said Hartman. "I heard people saying today, 'who is this Millersville school?' I think this shows that we are a program to be (respected).