– Cutshall Wins Conference Title On Day 2 NSAA Championship

MADISON, S.D. – The Valley City State University track and field team finished the 2024 Outdoor Conference Championships with two individual titles and 14 All-Conference performances.

The two-day meet was held Thursday-Friday in Madison, S.D. After earning six All-Conference honors on Thursday, the Vikings closed out the meet with another seven All-Conference performances on Friday.

Complete Results | Day 1 Recap

Freshman Aaron Cutshall won his first conference championship on Friday as he took first place in the men’s long jump. Cutshall’s fifth jump of the day proved to be the winner as he leaped 6.88 meters (22 feet, 7 inches). Cutshall had entered the finals of the long jump in 4^th place but soared to first place with his career-best jump.

The Vikings also had three second-place finishes and three third-place finishes Friday. VCSU athletes took second place in both the high jump competitions. Olivia Backus cleared 1.55 meters to tie for second place in the women’s high jump, and Jaiden Peraza cleared 1.97 meters to take second in the men’s high jump.

Clay Kummer ran a season-best time in the 400 hurdles – 57.48 seconds – to take second place. He finished just .05 seconds behind the champion.

Peraza earned another All-Conference honor in the long jump taking third place with his top jump of 6.70 meters. After placing Top 3 in events on Thursday, both Sadie Hansen and Jasmine Barnes picked up another All-Conference honor on Friday. Hansen placed third in the shot put and Barnes placed third in the 1500 meters.

Valley City State’s women took fourth place as a team, scoring 103.75 team points. The Viking men scored 82 points and placed 5^th. A total of six teams competed at the meet.

VCSU’s 4×100 women’s relay team lowered its school record from earlier this season as they finished fourth on Friday. The team of Olivia Backus, Lily Baldwin, Karina Olson and Shanti Adams ran 50.28 seconds on Friday, edging the record of 50.54 seconds they set on April 23.

Up next: The Vikings have three athletes continuing their seasons at the NAIA National Championship Meet, which runs May 22-24 in Marion, Ind. Kendra Odegard and Sadie Hansen have both qualified to compete in the women’s javelin, and Jaiden Peraza has qualified in the men’s high jump. Odegard is currenlty ranked No. 1 in the nation in women’s javelin.

NSAA Outdoor Track & Field Conference Championships
Team Scores
Women: 1. Dickinson State, 272.75; 2. Viterbo, 196.75; 3. Dakota State, 187.75; 4. VCSU, 103.75; 5. Waldorf, 39; 6. Bellevue, 21
Men: 1. Dakota State, 287; 2. Dickinson State, 173; 3. Viterbo, 143; 4. Waldorf, 109; 5. VCSU, 82; 6. Bellevue, 37

VCSU All-Conference (Top 3) Finishes
Women
Javelin: 1. Kendra Odegard, 46.55 meters; 2. Sadie Hansen, 39.95 meters
Triple Jump: 3. Emma Muggli, 10.55 meters
100 Hurdles: 2. Karina Olson, 14.82
10,000 Meters: 2. Jasmine Barnes, 41:50.17
High Jump: T2. Olivia Backus, 1.55 meters
Shot Put: 3. Sadie Hansen, 12.51 meters
1500 Meters: 3. Jasmine Barnes, 5:06.27
Heptathlon: 3. Emma Muggli, 3,781 points

Men
Triple Jump: 2. Cameron Champagnie, 13.72 meters
Long Jump: 1. Aaron Cutshall, 6.88 meters; 3. Jaiden Peraza, 6.70 meters
High Jump: 2. Jaiden Peraza, 1.97 meters
400 Hurdles: 2. Clay Kummer, 57.48