Dakota State’s Curikova Named Frontier Conference Women’s Cross Country Grit Award Recipient

We have named Dakota State University senior Valerija Curikova The Frontier Conference Women’s Cross Country Award recipient. The award is presented by the Montana Army National Guard.

Curikova overcame consecutive stress fracture injuries to return to competition and break their own Dakota State women’s cross country 6-kilometer school record. The setbacks tested Curikova throughout their collegiate cross country career, but their determination to return to racing led to a record-setting performance.

A Latvia native and Cyber Operations major, Curikova has maintained academic excellence while serving as an inspirational leader for teammates. Their support for others, positive attitude and commitment to leading by example extended beyond competition. Those qualities, alongside their perseverance through injury, helped distinguish Curikova for this recognition.

Our GRIT Award recognizes student-athletes who demonstrate exceptional determination, perseverance, resilience and tenacity while overcoming adversity. Introduced across all conference sports during the 2025-26 academic year, the award honors the impact student-athletes make on their teams through both their response to challenges and their leadership.

Recipients are nominated by their respective head coaches and selected by the Frontier Conference Senior Woman Leaders Association. That process recognizes student-athletes whose contributions encompass more than competitive results, including the ways they support teammates while navigating adversity. Curikova was recognized during the Frontier Conference Cross Country Championships in Billings, Mont.