Marion, Indiana – Multiple University of Dordt Athletes earned All-American honors following the NAIA National Track-and-Field Championships in Marion, Indiana Thursday, May 22nd.
A pair of Dordt men’s relay teams competed on day two of the 2025 NAIA Outdoor National Championships.
The Defenders finished seventh overall in a close and competitive 4×800 final in one of the final races. Dordt ran a season-best time of 7:34.08, sixth-fastest all-time in program history and two seconds faster than their seed time, five spots ahead of their ranking coming into the championship.
They were just over a second in back of fourth place Marian (Ind.) as four teams crossed the finish line within a second of each other. Isaac Davelar anchored with a 1:50.3, the third-fastest 800-meter split by any team in the final. Dordt relay members included Davelaar, Luke Swanson, Kaden Van Wyngarden and Sam May. Milligan (Tenn.) won the title with a time of 7:30.14, .05 ahead of defending champion Oklahoma City.
The Defenders 4×400 relay placed second behind Madonna (Mich.) in heat two and posted the 11th-fastest time in the prelim, but did not advance to the finals. Dordt, the defending champion, entered the championship as the No. 18 seed and bettered that by seven places. They were just .14 of a second behind the final qualifier for the finals, William Carey (Miss.). Relay members included Ryan Schober, Levi Schelhaas, Noah Schroder and Isaac Davelaar.
Defenders Results, Day Two:
- 4×800 Relay – All-American
- 7th place finish
- 7:34.08 – fastest time this season by over two seconds and five seconds faster than Wednesday’s prelims time
- 11th time earning All-American honors in the event (outdoor season)
- 2025 – 7th
- 2023 – 5th
- 2022 – 5th
- 2021 – NAIA Champion
- 2019 – NAIA Champion
- 2017 – 6th
- 2013 – 6th
- 2010 – 4th
- 2009 – n/a
- 2001 – n/a
- 1999 – n/a
- 4×400 Relay
- 2nd in heat three behind Madonna (Mich.)
- 11th fastest time overall; did not advance to finals
- 3:15.00; just .14 of a second out of ninth place and a spot in Friday’s final
For the Dordt University women, highlighting day two was the Defenders 4×800 relay that claimed All-American honors for the ninth time in program history.
Seeded No. 1 overall coming into the three-day championship and a day after posting the second-fastest time in Wednesday’s prelim, the Defenders placed third overall with a time of 9:05.29. The Defenders time is the second fastest of the season and well ahead of the fourth place team, Marian (Ind.).
Dordt’s team of Jaci Burtis, Shelby Buwalda, Emilee Heynen and Corinne Braun was in either third ,or fourth place at every exchange. British Columbia won its fourth-consecutive title at the outdoor championship, taking the lead for good during the final 400 meters of the third carry. The Master’s (Calif.), the 2025 indoor champion, was second (9:03).
The Defenders 4×400 relay placed fourth in their heat and finished with the 12th-fastest time among the 25 teams competing in the semifinals. Dordt crossed the finish line with a time of 3:54.72, just over a second behind the ninth place team (Lindsey Wilson) and final qualifier for the finals. The Defenders came into the championship seeded 15th overall and ran their second-best time of the season. Relay members included Kaitlyn Wercinski, Kailee Altena, Ayda Den Herder and Shelby Buwalda.
Dordt had two individuals, freshmen Fran Travis and Corinne Braun, compete in the shot put and 800-meter run, respectively, on day two. Travis, seeded 19th in the field of 20, finished 17th overall with a toss of 12.83 meters. The freshman’s best mark came on her first attempt. Seeded 28th overall, Braun finished 24th among the 29 runners with a time of 2:19. Braun was the seventh runner to cross the finish line in heat four.
Defenders Results, Day Two:
2:19.86
4×800 Relay – All-American
3rd place finish
9:05.89 – 2nd fastest time this season
9th time earning All-American honors in the event (outdoor season)
2025 – 3rd
2023 – 3rd
2022 – 5th
2021 – NAIA Champion
2018 – 7th
2017 – 6th
2016 – 3rd
2015 – 5th
2013 – 6th
2008 –
4×400 Relay
4th in heat three
12th fastest time overall; did not advance to finals
3:54.72
Fran Travis – Shot Put
17th overall
12.83m – 2nd best mark of the season
Corinne Braun- 800m
7th in heat four
24th place overall – did not qualify for finals
KIWA Staff Photo
