El Dorado Hills Native Honored as Marine Athlete of the Year
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — A native of El Dorado Hills has earned one of the highest athletic honors aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, underscoring a rare balance between military service and elite-level competition.
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Landon Nagao was named the base’s Male Athlete of the Year for 2025, alongside Sgt. Stephanie Evtodi, who received the Female Athlete of the Year honor. The annual recognition highlights sustained excellence in competitive athletics while serving on active duty.
Nagao, a UH-1Y Venom helicopter pilot assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, has built a national reputation in obstacle course racing. His journey began in gymnastics before transitioning into high-level “ninja” competitions featured in events such as American Ninja Warrior.
“Being named Camp Pendleton’s Marine Athlete of the Year is both an honor and a recognition I’m deeply grateful for,”
Nagao said in a statement released by the Marine Corps.
“It reflects years of dedication to both my role as a Marine and my time competing in Ninja Warrior.”
After earning a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship to the University of California, Davis, Nagao was commissioned in 2017. Since then, he has balanced the operational demands of military aviation with rigorous training and competition schedules.
His athletic résumé includes multiple appearances on national competition circuits, with steady advancement over the years. In 2024, Nagao achieved his strongest finish yet, advancing to the semifinals of American Ninja Warrior and placing 22nd overall. He also qualified for national-level finals in both the United Ninja Athlete Association and National Ninja League.
Momentum carried into 2025, where Nagao secured top-five finishes in all United Ninja Athlete Association events he entered and earned a spot in the World Championship finals.
Maintaining that level of performance while on active duty has required coordination and discipline, he said.
“Balancing my military responsibilities with opportunities to compete … has been challenging,”
Nagao said.
“Over time, I’ve become more proactive by coordinating with my squadron and working with the show’s producers, allowing me to manage both commitments effectively.”
For residents of El Dorado County, Nagao’s recognition serves as a point of local pride, highlighting the achievements of a hometown Marine excelling on both national and military stages.
