Shana Cox, ever the one to downplay individual accolades, couldn't pass on the chance to do so Saturday at Drake University after she had just won the 400-meter dash at the NCAA track and field championships.
It took her two words -- then four -- to express her emotions.
"Pretty good," she said. "Very good."
She also was part of the 1,600-meter relay team that won gold, joining Dominique Blake, Gayle Hunter and Aleesha Barber.
Cox was more talkative on that front.
"I realize it was the last time the four of us were running together. ... We had a lot of disappointment, especially last year when we didn't make it to the finals."
Not so this year.
Cox first won the 400 in 50.97 for Penn State's first national championship on the track in program history. The last and only other national champion was discus thrower Deshaya Williams, who won in 2003.
The 1,600-meter relay team then finished in 3:27.69 to help Penn State finish fourth as a team, the highest finish at the NCAA championships in program history.
