KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Evergreen State (Wash.) senior Alauna Carstens added another impressive accomplishment to her standout cross country career, earning NAIA Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week honors following her performance at the PLU Invitational.
Carstens crossed the finish line first in the women’s 6K race with a winning time of 20:50.9, topping a field of 147 runners and rewriting the course record she established just one year ago. Her new mark shaved nearly 29 seconds off her previous record of 21:19 set in 2025.
The senior from Shelton led the race from the front and separated herself from some of the top competition in the NAIA. Carstens, currently ranked No. 2 nationally, finished 19.5 seconds ahead of runner-up Breanna Schmitt of George Fox and an impressive 56 seconds in front of Southern Oregon’s Alyssa Johnson, the nation’s No. 5-ranked runner.
With her latest victory, Carstens remains undefeated this season.
As the season progresses, Carstens and the Geoducks will look to carry that momentum into conference competition and beyond, with their sights set on another CCC championship and a strong showing on the national stage.
About the NAIA
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small college athletics programs dedicated to character-driven, education-based athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has balanced high-level competition with holistic student-athlete development through its commitment to The Right Way to Play®. Each year more than 87,000 NAIA student-athletes compete in college athletics, earn over $1.3 billion in financial aid, and pursue opportunities to participate in 30 national championships. naia.org | @NAIA | #TheRightWayToPlay
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