OLYMPIA, Wash. –
Madison Palek (So.) from The Evergreen State College is ready to compete for the Geoducks in the women's 5,000-meter race walk at the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, set for May 20-22 in Ashville, North Carolina. The NAIA Championships will be held at Karl Straus Track.
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Palek qualified for the NAIA Championships with a time of 25:32.05 in the 5,000-meter race walk at the University of British Columbia Invite on March. 28. Later, she lowered her qualifying time to 24:53.88 during the Nancy & Norm Berney Classic at Corban University on April 25. She ranks second on Evergreen's all-time list in the 5,000-meter race walk. She took first place at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championships on May 8.
At the NAIA Championships, Palek is seeded #3 in the race walk. The #1 seed in the event is Ashlyn Poulin from Southeastern University (Fla.) and the #2 seed is Heather Durrant from University of the Cumberlands (Ky.).
"I am incredibly excited for Maddy heading into outdoor nationals," said Evergreen Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach
Joel Pearson. "Her progression from last year as a beginning racewalker, to placing fourth at indoor nationals, to heading into outdoor ranked third, has been perfect. I have been really impressed by her training and leadership skills. I really believe in the goal that we have of making USA outdoor nationals in the future."
The final in the women's 5,000-meter race walk is set for Thursday, May 21 at 4:45 p.m. EDT / 1:45 p.m. PDT. There will not be preliminary heats. All 20 competitors will compete in the final.
Earlier this year, Palek took fourth place and earned All-American honors in the women's 3,000-meter race walk at the 2026 NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships. Her time was 15:13.77.
"Maddy has amazed me so much this year with her grit and willingness to do the training that has allowed her to find success in race walking," Evergreen Assistant Cross Country and Track and Field Coach
Katie Burnett commented. "She has really stepped up her commitment to the team. We are looking forward to what's to come for her!"
2026 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Ashville, North Carolina
Thursday, May 21
Women's 5,000-meter Race Walk, Final, 4:45 p.m. ET / 1:45 p.m. PT
Madison Palek
