ALLENDALE, Mich. – Winona State senior Alissa Rausch recorded the crowning achievement in her illustrious Warrior career, winning the national championship in the discus throw Friday afternoon at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships in Allendale, Michigan.

"I'm really happy that all of the hard work paid off and that I was able to have everything click at the right time and throw good at nationals which I've been training for all season," said Rausch.

Rausch, the nation's number one seed heading into the event, made sure she'd finish where she started, using a winning heave of 181' 2" on her fourth of six throws to top the star-studded field.

"I knew that she'd win a national title because she'd been hands down the best thrower week in and week out," said Winona State throws coach Mike Turgeon. "The great thing about field events is it only takes one throw to win."

It wasn't going to be easy for Rausch, though, as the senior found herself in sixth place after prelims – good enough to secure a spot in the finals (the top nine after three throws advance), but not where she wanted to be. Though the pressure was there, Rausch didn't let it get in the way of her goal.

"When she calmed down after prelims and trusted her training going into finals, I knew it would be there," said Turgeon.

The trust paid off, as her fourth throw – though not her personal record (she broke the school record with a 183' 5" toss at the Warrior Open earlier this season) – was the clincher.

"I was very confident that throw would be far enough, but I knew that I had a lot of great competitors and tried to move my mark farther in the last two throws," said Rausch. "But I knew no one else had thrown that far this season and someone is going to have to PR (personal record) to beat that and I was lucky enough for it to be far enough."

The title marks Winona State Track and Field's second national championship this year. Freshman Kaitlyn Long won the weight throw title at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March.

While the titles both are impressive, the mindsets leading up to the championships were very different.

"It's different because with Kaitlyn we were thinking 'Okay, we can place top three on a great day,'" said Turgeon. "With Alissa, the goal the last three years has been to win a national title. Everything we do is to win a national title. Your expectations are a little higher as a senior."

Rausch's win marks the fourth individual national championship for the program, as Mary Theisen won the same discus title at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2011 and Emily King won the 2007 indoor weight throw crown.

And she's not done yet, as the All-American Rausch will compete one last time as a Warrior Saturday at 10:15 a.m. (CST) in the shot put finals. And she'll be ready.

"I'm really excited for shot put," said Rausch. "My goal was to be a national champion in the discus, but I still have a goal to be an All-American in the shot put and place as high as possible. It'll be easier tomorrow because my biggest goal is out of the way and now I can have fun with my last competition and I can focus and just have a good time."

Rausch's teammate, sophomore Delaney Miller, also competed in the event, finishing 18^th with a top throw of 134' 10".