OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Alauna Carstens (Jr.) and Max Baeder (Jr.) have qualified for the 2025 NAIA Men's and Women's Cross Country National Championships on Friday, Nov. 21 in Tallahassee, Florida. Carstens will compete in the women's 6-kilometer race and Baeder will compete in the men's 8-kilometer race. The NAIA National Championships will be held at Apalachee Regional Park.

Carstens, from Shelton, Washington, qualified for the NAIA Championships by winning the women's individual title at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championships on Friday, Nov. 7 at Oak Knoll Golf Course near Independence, Oregon. She took first place in the 6-kilometer race with a time of 20:49.6. Earlier this season, Carstens set the Evergreen cross country record for 6 kilometers with a time of 20:15.20 at the Linfield George Oja Invitational on Oct.18. It was the second-fastest time in NAIA women's cross country history.

Baeder, from Port Angeles, Washington, earned his spot at the NAIA Championships by placing 15th at the CCC Championships with a time of 25:12.0 in the men's 8-kilometer race. Baeder set the school record for Evergreen in an 8-kilometer race when he was timed at 24:41.60 during the George Oja Invitational this season.

"I'm really excited for our men's and women's cross country programs!" said Evergreen Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Joel Pearson. "Having a representative from each team is a great demonstration of our hard work and the positive direction of where the program is going. Alauna and Max have high goals heading into cross country nationals and are primed to peak in December for the Marathon. It's a great day to be a Geoduck!"

"There are changes within the team that can't be known without seeing them develop each season, but having someone from each team go to Nationals signifies how much growth we have had over the last two-and-a-half years," Evergreen Assistant Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Katie Burnett added. "Alauna and Max had the belief that they could qualify firmly planted in their minds. I am excited for what will happen with our upcoming nationals!"

The NAIA National Championships will begin with the women's 6-kilometer race at 8:30 a.m. EST / 5:30 a.m. PST on Nov. 21. The men's 8-kilometer race will follow at 9:30 a.m. EST / 6:30 a.m. PST. A total of 336 athletes will be involved in the women's race, with 326 runners competing in the men's race.

Carstens is the second Evergreen women's athlete to qualify for an NAIA Cross Country Championships. Annie Mullen represented the Geoducks at the NAIA Championships in 2008. Carstens will be making her second appearance at the NAIA Championships after taking 15th place and earning All-America honors in 2023.

In addition, Carstens has been nominated for NAIA West Region Cross Country Athlete of the Year for 2025. She has won three races and earned one third-place finish this fall.

Baeder is the third Geoduck to compete in a men's race at the NAIA Cross Country Championships. Brian Rakestraw qualified for the NAIA Championships twice, in 2008 and 2009. In 2008, he recorded Evergreen's best finish as he placed 81st. Josh Klimek ran for Evergreen at the NAIA Championships in 2004 and 2005.