The Viking track and field teams opened the indoor season Saturday at the Knox Invitational in Galesburg, Illinois.

The GV women won eight events and hit one national qualifying mark.

Junior Val Veiock (West Des Moines, Iowa) qualified for nationals in the shot put. Her toss of 13.31m is an NAIA Automatic qualifying mark.

Grand View won five more individual events at Knox. Junior Kelsey Carbajo (Spring Hill, Kan.) won both the mile (5:46.19) and the 3,000m (11:23.35) races. Carbajo's time in the mile is the fastest posted in the conference this season. Junior Jasmine Nielsen (Denver, Iowa) took first in the 800m run (2:33.05) and finished just behind Carbajo in the Mile (5:46.50).

The Vikings won two field events with senior Colleen Frank (Eldora, Iowa)placing first in the weight throw (14.88m) and sophomore Alyssa Cunningham (Waukee, Iowa) winning the long jump (4.71m).

Runner-up performances came from freshman Abri Valentine (West Des Moines, Iowa) in the 400m dash, Cunningham in the 60m hurdles, freshman Tanner Werthmann (Davenport, Iowa) in the long jump, and junior Jena Krebs (Washington, Iowa) in the weight throw.

The Vikings swept the relays first in the 4x200m and taking first and second in the 4x400m relay. The 4x200m relay team of Regan Duax (Davenport, Iowa), Ashley Hemphill (Ankeny, Iowa), Dede Ayers (Des Moines, Iowa), and Sam Haunsberger (Marshalltown, Iowa) finished the race in 1:55.63. The winning 4x400m team consisted of Duax, Nielsen, Ayers, and Holly Anthony (Morongo Valley, Calif.) who recorded a time of 4:15.44. Placing second in the 4x400m relay was Valentine, Cunningham, Hemphill, and Werthmann.

Junior Kalli McCann (Osceola, Iowa) placed third in the 3,000m.

The Viking track and field teams next compete at the Central College Dutch Athletics Classic this Saturday, Jan. 25 in Pella. Events begin at 10 a.m.