diff --git a/src/apps/work/src/pages/challenges/ChallengeEditorPage/components/MarathonMatchScorerSection/MarathonMatchScorerSection.module.scss b/src/apps/work/src/pages/challenges/ChallengeEditorPage/components/MarathonMatchScorerSection/MarathonMatchScorerSection.module.scss
index 0fced2607..43b1cd7c0 100644
--- a/src/apps/work/src/pages/challenges/ChallengeEditorPage/components/MarathonMatchScorerSection/MarathonMatchScorerSection.module.scss
+++ b/src/apps/work/src/pages/challenges/ChallengeEditorPage/components/MarathonMatchScorerSection/MarathonMatchScorerSection.module.scss
@@ -149,13 +149,15 @@
 }
 
 .fieldGroup,
-.checkboxField {
+.checkboxField,
+.radioField {
     display: flex;
     flex-direction: column;
     gap: 8px;
 }
 
-.fieldGroup span {
+.fieldGroup span,
+.radioField legend {
     color: $black-80;
     font-size: 13px;
     font-weight: 600;
@@ -222,6 +224,35 @@
     font-size: 14px;
 }
 
+.radioField {
+    border: 0;
+    margin: 0;
+    padding: 0;
+}
+
+.radioOptions {
+    align-items: center;
+    display: flex;
+    flex-wrap: wrap;
+    gap: 16px;
+    min-height: 42px;
+}
+
+.radioOption {
+    align-items: center;
+    color: $black-80;
+    cursor: pointer;
+    display: inline-flex;
+    font-size: 14px;
+    gap: 8px;
+}
+
+.radioOption input {
+    accent-color: #137d60;
+    cursor: pointer;
+    margin: 0;
+}
+
 .fieldError {
     color: $red-100;
     font-size: 12px;
diff --git a/src/apps/work/src/pages/challenges/ChallengeEditorPage/components/MarathonMatchScorerSection/MarathonMatchScorerSection.spec.tsx b/src/apps/work/src/pages/challenges/ChallengeEditorPage/components/MarathonMatchScorerSection/MarathonMatchScorerSection.spec.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..605b7e589
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/apps/work/src/pages/challenges/ChallengeEditorPage/components/MarathonMatchScorerSection/MarathonMatchScorerSection.spec.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,225 @@
+/* eslint-disable import/no-extraneous-dependencies, ordered-imports/ordered-imports, unicorn/no-null */
+import '@testing-library/jest-dom'
+import {
+    render,
+    screen,
+    waitFor,
+    within,
+} from '@testing-library/react'
+import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event'
+
+import {
+    ChallengePhase,
+    CreateMarathonMatchConfigInput,
+    MarathonMatchConfig,
+    MarathonMatchDefaults,
+    MarathonMatchTester,
+    MarathonMatchTesterSummary,
+} from '../../../../../lib/models'
+import {
+    createMarathonMatchConfig,
+    fetchMarathonMatchConfig,
+    fetchMarathonMatchDefaults,
+    fetchTester,
+    fetchTesters,
+} from '../../../../../lib/services'
+
+import { MarathonMatchScorerSection } from './MarathonMatchScorerSection'
+
+jest.mock('~/libs/ui', () => ({
+    BaseModal: (props: {
+        buttons?: JSX.Element
+        children?: JSX.Element
+        open?: boolean
+        title?: string
+    }) => (props.open
+        ? (
+            <div aria-modal='true' role='dialog'>
+                {props.title ? <h4>{props.title}</h4> : undefined}
+                {props.children}
+                {props.buttons}
+            </div>
+        )
+        : null),
+    Button: (props: {
+        disabled?: boolean
+        label: string
+        onClick?: () => void
+        type?: 'button' | 'submit'
+    }) => (
+        <button
+            disabled={props.disabled}
+            onClick={props.onClick}
+            type={props.type === 'submit'
+                ? 'submit'
+                : 'button'}
+        >
+            {props.label}
+        </button>
+    ),
+}), {
+    virtual: true,
+})
+
+jest.mock('../../../../../lib/services', () => ({
+    createMarathonMatchConfig: jest.fn(),
+    fetchMarathonMatchConfig: jest.fn(),
+    fetchMarathonMatchDefaults: jest.fn(),
+    fetchMarathonMatchTestSubmissionStatus: jest.fn(),
+    fetchTester: jest.fn(),
+    fetchTesters: jest.fn(),
+    rerunMarathonMatchScores: jest.fn(),
+    updateMarathonMatchConfig: jest.fn(),
+    uploadMarathonMatchTestSubmission: jest.fn(),
+}))
+
+jest.mock('../../../../../lib/utils', () => ({
+    formatDateTime: (value: unknown): string => String(value || ''),
+    showErrorToast: jest.fn(),
+    showInfoToast: jest.fn(),
+    showSuccessToast: jest.fn(),
+}))
+
+jest.mock('./TesterModal', () => ({
+    TesterModal: () => null,
+}))
+
+const CHALLENGE_ID = 'challenge-1'
+
+const phases: ChallengePhase[] = [
+    {
+        id: 'phase-example',
+        name: 'Submission',
+        phaseId: 'phase-example',
+    },
+    {
+        id: 'phase-review',
+        name: 'Review',
+        phaseId: 'phase-review',
+    },
+]
+
+const defaults: MarathonMatchDefaults = {
+    compileTimeout: 300000,
+    reviewScorecardId: 'scorecard-1',
+    taskDefinitionName: 'runner-task',
+    taskDefinitionVersion: '1',
+    testTimeout: 600000,
+}
+
+const testerSummary: MarathonMatchTesterSummary = {
+    className: 'ExampleScorer',
+    compilationError: null,
+    compilationStatus: 'SUCCESS',
+    createdAt: '2026-06-24T00:00:00.000Z',
+    id: 'tester-1',
+    name: 'Example Scorer',
+    updatedAt: '2026-06-24T00:00:00.000Z',
+    version: '1.0.0',
+}
+
+const tester: MarathonMatchTester = {
+    ...testerSummary,
+    sourceCode: 'public class ExampleScorer {}',
+}
+
+const mockCreateMarathonMatchConfig = createMarathonMatchConfig as jest.MockedFunction<
+    typeof createMarathonMatchConfig
+>
+const mockFetchMarathonMatchConfig = fetchMarathonMatchConfig as jest.MockedFunction<
+    typeof fetchMarathonMatchConfig
+>
+const mockFetchMarathonMatchDefaults = fetchMarathonMatchDefaults as jest.MockedFunction<
+    typeof fetchMarathonMatchDefaults
+>
+const mockFetchTester = fetchTester as jest.MockedFunction<typeof fetchTester>
+const mockFetchTesters = fetchTesters as jest.MockedFunction<typeof fetchTesters>
+
+function buildSavedConfig(
+    challengeId: string,
+    input: CreateMarathonMatchConfigInput,
+): MarathonMatchConfig {
+    return {
+        active: input.active !== false,
+        challengeId,
+        compileTimeout: input.compileTimeout,
+        createdAt: '2026-06-24T00:00:00.000Z',
+        example: input.example || null,
+        id: 'config-1',
+        name: input.name,
+        provisional: input.provisional || null,
+        relativeScoringEnabled: input.relativeScoringEnabled !== false,
+        reviewScorecardId: input.reviewScorecardId,
+        scoreDirection: input.scoreDirection || 'MAXIMIZE',
+        system: input.system || null,
+        taskDefinitionName: input.taskDefinitionName,
+        taskDefinitionVersion: input.taskDefinitionVersion,
+        testerId: input.testerId,
+        testTimeout: input.testTimeout,
+        updatedAt: '2026-06-24T00:00:00.000Z',
+    }
+}
+
+describe('MarathonMatchScorerSection', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+        jest.clearAllMocks()
+
+        mockFetchMarathonMatchDefaults.mockResolvedValue(defaults)
+        mockFetchMarathonMatchConfig.mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+        mockFetchTesters.mockResolvedValue([testerSummary])
+        mockFetchTester.mockResolvedValue(tester)
+        mockCreateMarathonMatchConfig.mockImplementation(
+            async (challengeId, input) => buildSavedConfig(challengeId, input),
+        )
+    })
+
+    it('defaults to Maximize and saves the selected Minimize score direction', async () => {
+        const user = userEvent.setup()
+
+        render(
+            <MarathonMatchScorerSection
+                challengeId={CHALLENGE_ID}
+                onScorerConfigChange={jest.fn()}
+                phases={phases}
+            />,
+        )
+
+        const scoreDirectionGroup = await screen.findByRole('group', {
+            name: 'Score Direction',
+        })
+        const maximizeOption = within(scoreDirectionGroup)
+            .getByRole('radio', { name: 'Maximize' })
+        const minimizeOption = within(scoreDirectionGroup)
+            .getByRole('radio', { name: 'Minimize' })
+
+        expect(maximizeOption)
+            .toBeChecked()
+        expect(minimizeOption)
+            .not
+            .toBeChecked()
+
+        await user.selectOptions(
+            screen.getByRole('combobox', { name: /Scorer/ }),
+            testerSummary.id,
+        )
+        await user.click(minimizeOption)
+
+        await waitFor(() => {
+            expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Save Scorer Config' }))
+                .toBeEnabled()
+        })
+
+        await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Save Scorer Config' }))
+
+        await waitFor(() => {
+            expect(mockCreateMarathonMatchConfig)
+                .toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+                    CHALLENGE_ID,
+                    expect.objectContaining({
+                        scoreDirection: 'MINIMIZE',
+                        testerId: testerSummary.id,
+                    }),
+                )
+        })
+    })
+})
diff --git a/src/apps/work/src/pages/challenges/ChallengeEditorPage/components/MarathonMatchScorerSection/MarathonMatchScorerSection.tsx b/src/apps/work/src/pages/challenges/ChallengeEditorPage/components/MarathonMatchScorerSection/MarathonMatchScorerSection.tsx
index dbacab6fa..7ac0570a9 100644
--- a/src/apps/work/src/pages/challenges/ChallengeEditorPage/components/MarathonMatchScorerSection/MarathonMatchScorerSection.tsx
+++ b/src/apps/work/src/pages/challenges/ChallengeEditorPage/components/MarathonMatchScorerSection/MarathonMatchScorerSection.tsx
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {
     MarathonMatchConfigType,
     MarathonMatchDefaults,
     MarathonMatchPhaseConfig,
+    MarathonMatchScoreDirection,
     MarathonMatchTester,
     MarathonMatchTesterSummary,
     MarathonMatchTestSubmissionResponse,
@@ -76,6 +77,19 @@ const PHASE_DEFAULTS = {
         startSeed: 1651246628,
     },
 } as const
+const SCORE_DIRECTION_OPTIONS: Array<{
+    label: string
+    value: MarathonMatchScoreDirection
+}> = [
+    {
+        label: 'Maximize',
+        value: 'MAXIMIZE',
+    },
+    {
+        label: 'Minimize',
+        value: 'MINIMIZE',
+    },
+]
 
 type PhaseDraftKey = keyof typeof PHASE_LABELS
 
@@ -1091,6 +1105,22 @@ export const MarathonMatchScorerSection: FC<MarathonMatchScorerSectionProps> = (
         [updateDraft],
     )
 
+    /**
+     * Updates the scorer draft with the selected score direction.
+     * @param event Radio change event carrying the selected marathon match score direction.
+     * @returns void
+     * Used by the Score Direction radios before persisting the scorer config payload.
+     */
+    const handleScoreDirectionChange = useCallback(
+        (event: ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>): void => {
+            updateDraft(currentDraft => ({
+                ...currentDraft,
+                scoreDirection: event.target.value as MarathonMatchScoreDirection,
+            }))
+        },
+        [updateDraft],
+    )
+
     const handleNumericFieldChange = useCallback(
         (field: 'compileTimeout' | 'testTimeout') => (
             event: ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>,
@@ -1999,6 +2029,29 @@ export const MarathonMatchScorerSection: FC<MarathonMatchScorerSectionProps> = (
                         <span>Relative Scoring</span>
                     </label>
 
+                    <fieldset className={styles.radioField}>
+                        <legend>Score Direction</legend>
+                        <div className={styles.radioOptions}>
+                            {SCORE_DIRECTION_OPTIONS.map(option => (
+                                <label
+                                    className={styles.radioOption}
+                                    key={option.value}
+                                >
+                                    <input
+                                        checked={
+                                            (draft.scoreDirection || DEFAULT_SCORE_DIRECTION) === option.value
+                                        }
+                                        name='marathon-match-score-direction'
+                                        onChange={handleScoreDirectionChange}
+                                        type='radio'
+                                        value={option.value}
+                                    />
+                                    <span>{option.label}</span>
+                                </label>
+                            ))}
+                        </div>
+                    </fieldset>
+
                     <label className={styles.fieldGroup}>
                         <span>Review Scorecard ID</span>
                         <input