Valley City, ND VCSU – Three Valley City State University athletes will compete this week at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships.

VCSU senior Taylor Sargent, sophomore Kendra Odegard and freshman Jaiden Peraza have all qualified for the national meet being held May 24-26 in Marion, Ind.

Odegard competes in the women’s javelin on Wednesday night, while Sargent (100 hurdles) and Peraza (high jump) are scheduled to compete in their events on Thursday afternoon.
 
Odegard enters the meet as a strong contender for All-American honors and a potential national championship. Her top mark of 45.96 meters this season ranks her third in the NAIA entering the national meet. She is less than 10 feet back of the top throw in the nation this season, a toss of 48.81 meters by Ottawa junior Laurel Barber. The top eight finishers in each event earn All-American. Odegard placed 14th at last year’s national meet.
 
The women’s javelin is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night.
 
Peraza cleared 2.05 meters in the men’s high jump this season to earn his spot at the national meet. He is ranked 9th in the country, tied among a group of nine athletes who have all cleared 2.05 meters. The men’s high jump will be held Thursday at 4:30 p.m. Peraza finished in 12th place at the NAIA Indoor Championships earlier this year.
 
Sargent ran 14.68 seconds in the women’s 100 meter hurdles this year to punch her ticket to the national meet. She enters the meet ranked 37th in a large field of runners. The women’s 100 hurdle preliminaries are Thursday at 2 p.m. The finals for the event are Friday at 2:20 p.m.