OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Alauna Carstens (Jr.) of The Evergreen State College has been selected as the NAIA Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week for Oct. 22. Carstens has been chosen for the NAIA award three times this season. She earned this week's honor by winning the women's 6-kilometer race in 20:15.20 at the Linfield George Oja Invitational, held at the Oak Knoll Golf Course near Independence, Oregon, on Saturday, Oct. 18. 

Carstens' winning time at the George Oja meet set the Evergreen record and the Cascade Collegiate Conference record. It was the second-fastest time ever recorded by an NAIA runner in a women's 6-kilometer cross country race. The women's race on Saturday included 352 athletes.

"I'm continually impressed with Alauna's dedication to her training, race preparation, and race execution," commented Evergreen Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Joel Pearson. "Her performance at George Oja was another big step in the right direction. It's a great day to be a Geoduck!"

Earlier this year, Carstens was named the NAIA Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week on Sept. 24 after taking first place in the women's 5-kilometer race at the PLU Invitational (Sept. 20), and also received the award on Oct. 8 after placing third in the women's 6-kilometer race at the 50th Annual Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational (Oct. 4). She has received the NAIA Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week honor four times in her career. She first claimed the award once in the fall of 2023.

In addition to being chosen for the NAIA weekly cross country award for the third time in 2025, Carstens also was named Cascade Collegiate Conference McDonald's Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week for the third time this season. She has been selected as the USTFCCCA Women's NAIA Athlete of the Week twice this season, including this week.

Evergreen's cross country teams will compete at the CCC Championships on Friday, Nov. 7. The championship meet will be held at the Oak Knoll Golf Course.