Highlights

• NAIA National Champion (5K, 2016)
• 9x NAIA All-American
• 9x GSAC Individual Champion

Karis Crichton (Frankian) arrived at what was then The Master’s College as one of the most decorated high school athletes ever to become a Mustang. She’d been a member of four state championship cross country teams at Saugus High, and she had received interest from NCAA Division 1 programs. One reason she chose TMC was that she wanted to help elevate its women’s distance running to an elite level. 

By all accounts, Crichton succeeded in that endeavor, earning nine NAIA All-American awards and nine individual Golden State Athletic Conference championships. She capped her unforgettable career by becoming the first woman in school history to capture an NAIA national championship, winning the 5,000 meters in track and field in 2016.

“She set the trajectory for this program,” said former Mustangs head coach Zach Schroeder. “There can only be one pioneer, and hands down Karis was the one.” Crichton led TMU women’s cross country to three appearances at NAIA nationals, with the team finishing as high as seventh in 2015. For her part, Crichton finished fifth that year. More importantly, she consistently displayed Christlike character.

“She made the headlines, but it was never about her,” Schroeder said. “It was about glorifying the Lord and loving her teammates well, and that was fully on display whenever she raced.” 

Crichton now lives in Middleton, Idaho, with her husband Matt, an alum of TMU’s cross country and track teams. They have three children, Sawyer, Finley, and Sophie. At Compass Bible Church, Karis serves in children’s, coffee, and women’s ministries.