DALLAS, Texas – Alauna Carstens (Jr.) from The Evergreen State College won the women's NAIA Marathon Classic title for the second year in a row as she earned a time of 2:53:50 (2 hours, 53 minutes, 50 seconds) on Dec. 14, 2025, in Dallas, Texas. The NAIA Marathon Classic was part of the BMW Dallas Marathon. Race conditions were cold and windy with a temperature of 30 degrees Fahrenheit and a wind-chill index of 18 degrees.
In addition to winning the NAIA Marathon Classic women's race, Carstens took first place in the Elite Women's division and was the overall women's champion at the BMW Dallas Marathon. Last year, Carstens won the NAIA Marathon Classic as part of the California Invitational Marathon in Sacramento, California on Dec. 8, 2024.
Max Baeder (Jr.) of Evergreen placed fifth in the men's NAIA Marathon Classic this year and set the Evergreen men's marathon record with a time of 2:29:05 (2 hours, 29 minutes, 5 seconds). Sherlyn Perales (So.) claimed eighth place for the Geoducks in the women's NAIA Marathon Classic at 3:08:16 (3 hours, 8 minutes, 16 seconds).
Carstens, Baeder, and Perales each were named All-American for their efforts. Carstens and Baeder have both earned All-American twice at the NAIA Marathon Classic. It was the first All-American honor for Perales in her first NAIA Marathon Classic.
"I continue to be so proud, impressed, and excited for Alauna and Max! They performed perfect for the Geoducks this weekend with both being All-Americans and Alauna winning another title! Back-to-back!" said Evergreen Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Joel Pearson. "And Sherlyn! What a race! Eighth place for All-American!"
"In spite of the wind and cold, Alauna came through with a very special win," said Evergreen Assistant Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Katie Burnett. "Not only repeating as the NAIA Champion, but outright winning the marathon race of 1200+ women."
During her career with the Geoducks, Carstens has achieved All-American seven times. In addition to the two All-American performances at the NAIA Marathon Classic (2024, 2025), she has attained NAIA All-American recognition two times in cross country in 2023 (15th place) and 2025 (4th place), once indoor track and field in 2025 (3,000-meter run, 3rd place), and twice in outdoor track and field in 2024 (5,000-meter run, 7th place) and in 2025 (10,000-meter run, 8th place).
Also competing for Evergreen in the NAIA Marathon Classic on Sunday were Soleil Bianchi (Jr.) in the women's race and Jaydon Blackburn (Jr.) and Jackson Rye (Jr.) in the men's race. Bianchi took 35th place in the women's NAIA marathon in 3:32:53 (3 hours, 32 minutes, 53 seconds). Blackburn was 21st in the men's NAIA marathon with a time of 2:39:15 (2 hours, 39 minutes, 15 seconds) and Rye was 31st in the men's race in 2:49:01 (2 hours, 49 minutes, 1 second).
"Thank you so much to Soleil, Jaydon, Jackson for representing this family in Dallas!" Pearson commented.
"Max overcame the conditions so well he broke his own school record and placed higher than last year," Burnett noted. "Sherlyn debuted with an eighth place finish and Soleil also completed her first marathon to earn our women's team a runner-up finish! It's truly special. Jackson and Jaydon stuck it out and brought our men's team through in fourth place."
In addition to the individual accomplishments by the Geoducks, Evergreen took second place in the women's team standings at the NAIA Marathon Classic, while placing fourth in the men's team standings. Each NAIA member college or university needed three finishers in a race in order to register a team score.
The women's team champion was Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Ariz.) with a score of 14. Evergreen was the runner-up at 23, and Indiana University East was third at 28. Freed-Hardeman University (Tenn.) placed fourth at 33, and William Woods University (Mo.) was fifth at 35.
Carsten's won the NAIA women's race (2:53:50) by seven minutes and 27 seconds. Carlyn Bobo was second in 3:01:17. Maddy Walter-Sherretts finished third at 3:02:32 and Haley Bell was fourth at 3:02:39. Tiffany Terry placed fifth in 3:03:34.
Indiana University East claimed the men's team title with a score of 6. Campbellsville University (Ky.) took second place at 23. University of Mobile earned third place at 33, followed by Evergreen in fourth place at 35, and Midway University (Ky.) at 37.
The winner of the NAIA men's race was Cameron Nocton in 2:27:25. Richard Bower was second in 2:27:30 and Axton Fosnaugh was third at 2:27:47. Ben Smith claimed fourth place at 2:28:27. Baeder placed fifth in 2:29:05. He broke his own school record of 2:30:24 set at the 2024 NAIA Marathon Classic.
"I'm so proud of this team!" Pearson said. "The men outplaced where they were ranked going in with a fourth place finish! The women brought home some hardware by placing second! What a great day to be a Geoduck!"
"I could not be more proud of the team," Burnett added. "Those 26.2 miles get very long by the end, and a lot can happen along the way. The conditions were brutally cold on race day, and I was so nervous waiting at the check points along the way for them to come through. We not only had all of our runners finish, but multiple runners placed well enough to earn All-American status. Outstanding!"