MARION, Ind. - Madelyn Wolf simply wanted to qualify for the NAIA Women's National Track and Field Championships in her first season at Kansas Wesleyan.
She never imagined she would head home as the javelin national champion - the first in any sport in KWU history.
"It's just crazy, I can't believe it. I feel so blessed," Wolf said Wednesday night after her throw of 44.65 meters (146 feet, 6 inches) propelled her to the title.
Wolf's All-American and championship effort came on her first throw of the evening.
"She got up on that runway and just let it rip from the get-go," coach Kyle Hiser said. "Some freshmen might be a little intimidated at that stage but that's not Maddy Wolf. She just gets out there and just goes."
"I was like 'I just need to not foul it, I just need to get a mark and if it's a big mark we can keep going,'" Wolf said. "I needed something and to have it be a PR (personal record) was really amazing. It was surreal."
Her distance was 10 centimeters (four inches) better than runner-up Kendra Odegard of Valley City State at 44.55m (146-2). Mary Lorang of Benedictine placed third with a mark of 44.07m (144-7).
Wolf's historic feat came in less-than-ideal weather conditions.
"My main thought was stay warm; I was like 'I can't feel my fingers,'" she said. "I was really nervous with the rain coming down and it was really windy. I said a quick prayer and was like 'whatever happens, it's in God's hands' and I let her rip."
"It was probably like 45 degrees, so it was a perfect Kansas day," Hiser said.
Wolf, who hails from Olathe, said the adverse conditions were not unfamiliar.
"I was thinking we practice in this all the time in Kansas, so it was nice to know that we kind of had an upper hand being in this more often," she said.
Wolf's initial toss put her atop the leaderboard but there were five more throws to go making for a long and agonizing wait.
"My coaches could probably tell you I was a nervous wreck," she said. "I was pacing everywhere trying to stay warm but I knew it was in God's hands, so I was at peace with that."
Being the first Coyote to win a national championship was starting to sink in later Wednesday night.
"My goal for the season was literally to get here and then once (classmate) Mayce (Russell) and I hit that (qualifying) mark I was like 'let's just get All-American,'" she said. "When I saw that first throw put me in first I was like 'maybe this could be a reality.'"
Russell placed 17th in the competition with a throw of 37.89m (124-4).
KWU's other national qualifiers did not reach the finals in their events on Wednesday.
Keegan Lott missed the finals in the men's javelin after posting a best throw of 52.03m (171-7) and placing 22nd earlier in the day.
The men's 4x800-meter relay team placed 12th with a time of 7:43.04. Team members were Ty Davidson, Julian Avila, Triston Cottone and Wyatt Johnson.