VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Madison Palek (So.) of The Evergreen State College qualified for the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the women's 5,000-meter race walk at the UBC Open on Saturday, March 28. The meet was hosted by the University of British Columbia at the Rashpal Dhillon Oval.

Palek earned the NAIA "A" qualifying standard with a time of 25:32.05 in the race walk. She took fourth place in the event. In addition to qualifying for the NAIA Championships, Palek qualified for the 2026 Cascade Collegiate Conference Championships and moved into second place on Evergreen's all-time list in the 5,000-meter race walk.

Earlier this year, Palek finished in fourth place at the 2026 NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships in the women's 3,000-meter race walk in 15:13.77. She was named an All-American.

At UBC on Saturday, Olivia Lundman, competing unattached, won the women's 5,000-meter race walk at 23:03.97. Katie Burnett from the Harrier Track Club, placed second in 23:15.06 and Maya Piesik of the Vancouver Thunderbirds was third at 23:49.98. Palek's fourth place finish was roughly one and a half minutes faster than the NAIA "A" standard.

"Maddy has put in a lot of work, and it's allowed her to massively improve her times," said Burnett, who also serves as Evergreen's assistant cross country and track and field coach. "Not everyone can pick up the technique, and Maddy has been patient as she develops her race walking form to get faster each week. She easily showed why she was fourth place at NAIA Indoor Nationals with blowing away the NAIA "A" standard by 90 seconds!"

Evergreen's track and field teams will participate in the Whitworth Peace Meet on Friday, April 3. The meet will be held in Spokane, Washington, at Puryear Field/Boppell Track.