TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Dickinson State junior Caleb Sarsland delivered a historic performance Friday morning at the 2025 NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championships, placing ninth overall in 24 minutes, 38.9 seconds at Apalachee Regional Park and earning All-America honors for the first time in his career.
Sarsland, a Bowman, N.D. native, becomes just the second All-American in program history and the highest individual finisher ever for the Blue Hawk men's cross country team. He joins John Kungu, who placed 17th in 2007, as the only DSU runners to reach the All-America podium at the NAIA championship.
"Finishing ninth exceeded my hopes and goals, and it's really a testament to all the people who have supported me and Coach Schwartz's dedication to our team this year," Sarsland said. "It's a blessing from the Lord that I get to represent the Blue Hawks and make them proud. I hope the race inspires all the Blue Hawks to stay determined and trust the process. And to those looking at DSU as an option, we are the spot to be for distance running."
The performance marked a dramatic leap forward for Sarsland, who finished 103rd at last year's national championship in Columbia, Missouri, with a time of 25:11.6. This year was his third consecutive appearance at the national meet, and by far his strongest.
"Caleb's performance marks a new high point for Dickinson State Cross Country. He's now our highest national finisher and only the second All-American in program history," said head coach Dr. Thomas Schwartz. "While national experience helps, what truly set him apart this season was a commitment to expert training and a disciplined approach to recovery and preparation.
When Caleb began working with me on July 4, he was coming off six weeks of no running due to an Achilles injury sustained during the indoor track season. To see him go from essentially zero fitness in early July to ninth in the nation in November speaks volumes about his determination and our training strategy.
He and his family have been incredibly supportive, and it's been rewarding to see how much they've appreciated the structure and care behind the program. Caleb has grown tremendously, and this is just the beginning of what he can accomplish."
Sarsland was the top finisher from the Frontier Conference and the only athlete from the league to place in the top 10.
"Coming into this meet I knew what to expect from past experiences, which really helped," Sarsland said. "You have to throw away your usual race plan for the first mile and go uncomfortably fast so you don't get swallowed up by the herd of runners."
Jack Anderson of The Master's University claimed the individual title with a winning time of 24:15.4.
Sarsland closed his post-race comments with a message to the Blue Hawk community and future recruits: "Hawks are up! Ready: prepare and dedicate yourself to the process. Set: stand for what you believe in and believe in yourself. Go: give everything you have to the opportunities set before you."
