VALLEY CITY, ND  (NewsDakota.com)  As the indoor track and field season gets underway, Valley City State has several North Dakota athletes leading their respective teams.

Eight Vikings with North Dakota roots found top-10 finishes at the NDSU Dakota Alumni Open this past weekend in Fargo.

Valley City native Karina Olson, a talented gymnast and track athlete during her time at Valley City High School, notched two top-10 performances, including a qualifying run in the 60-meter hurdles (9.29 seconds), placing sixth, along with a ninth-place finish in the triple jump (5.08 meters).

Lisbon native Kendra Odegard placed ninth in the shotput (12.16 meters), and Oakes native Emma Muggli was ninth in the triple jump (9.70 meters).

Former Kindred Viking Jaiden Peraza, who helped Kindred to a state championship in basketball during his high school career, led the men, with a third place (13.46 meters) finish in the triple jump, and a fourth place (1.96 meters) finish in the high jump.

Clay Kummer, from Surrey, ND, was eighth (9.00 seconds) in the 60-meter hurdles.  Aaron Cutshall and Jalen Strickland, both from Watford City, were sixth (12.88 meters) and eighth (12.49 meters), respectively, in the triple jump.  Cody Fraunfelter, from Granville, ND, was ninth in the weight throw (12.94 meters).

The Dakota Alumni Open is a mix of regional NCAA and NAIA teams.  The Vikings will next be in competition on January 20th at the Cobber Open in Moorhead, MN.