California track & field will be sending four athletes – its most since 2018 – to the upcoming NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships next week (March 7-9) in Boston at The Track at New Balance. Seniors Skyler Magula, Rowan Hamilton and Busola Akinduro and junior David Foster qualified to their first indoor national contests, ranking among the top-16 athletes in their respective events after a standout season for the Golden Bears.
 
Foster set a new personal best in the 60m before Cal's season even started, finishing with a time of 6.59 at the Leonard Hilton Memorial Invitational in January. He lowered that time to 6.56 at the New Mexico Team Open two weeks later, then ran 6.54 at both the Don Kirby Invitational and the Ken Shannon Invitational the next month to better his own program record. Foster is the first male sprinter in program history to reach the indoor championships; currently, he is in a tie for sixth on this year's list of qualifying performances.
 
"David is the hardest working sprinter that I have coached since coming to Cal," assistant coach Ronnye Harrison said. "He is very consistent in his efforts and his commitment to being better – he's incredibly coachable. He just needs to continue to do what he does, and he doesn't need to do anything special or extra to be worthy of being called one of the NCAA's top sprinters this year."
 
Magula started the year in a tie for the indoor pole vault record but claimed it outright in the season-opening New Mexico Team Open with a leap of 5.51m (18-1). He bettered that mark in his most recent outing at the Ken Shannon Invitational with a winning 5.53m (18-1.75) to rise into a tie for 10th in the nation and become Cal's first male pole vaulter since Clarence Phelps (1997) to qualify indoors. Magula does have experience at the national stage, having reached the 2023 Outdoor Championships; this year, he hopes to claim a spot on the All-America First or Second Teams.
 
"The Indoor Championships is a world-class meet – it's an honor just to qualify," assistant coach Dan Lefever said. "We do have high expectations and big intentions at this competition. I think Skyler is in a great position and he's been very pleased with how his jumps have been coming along. If things come together next week, he can challenge the top of the list.
 
Although he is mainly known for his prowess in the hammer throw, having won three NAIA championships at British Columbia before transferring to Cal this year, Hamilton proved that he is no slouch on the indoor circuit; he made his weight throw debut at the Don Kirby Invitational with a toss that sailed 21.98m (72-1) to shatter a 20-year-old program record. He then broke that mark two weeks later with a best throw of 22.36m (73-4) to rise to 14th in the nation this year. Hamilton will be the first men's weight thrower in program history to reach the NCAA Championships.
 
"It has been really exciting to see Rowan competing at a very high level in his first indoor and NCAA experience," assistant coach Mohamad Saatara said. "He's very motivated and excited to be competing among some of the best athletes in both the NCAA and the world. We're grateful for this opportunity."
 
Akinduro currently ranks 15th in the nation in the women's triple jump after posting a mark of 13.25m (34-5.75) at the Don Kirby Invitational, good for the third-best leap in program history. She was also highly successful in the long jump at that meet, rising to No. 5 on Cal's all-time list after finishing at 5.98m (19-7.5). Like Magula, Akinduro has experience competing for an NCAA title, having appeared at the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships, and will be looking to clinch her first All-America nod next week. She is Cal's first female triple jumper to appear at the meet since Isabella Marten in 2016.
 
"I am extremely encouraged by Busola's progress," Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Robyne Johnson said. "She really put in the work over the offseason – she got stronger in the weight room and worked hard on her speed. I'm excited to see what she does on this national platform."
 
NCAA Indoor Championships – All Times PT
Thursday, March 7
Men's Weight Throw – 3 p.m. (Rowan Hamilton)
 
Friday, March 8
Men's Pole Vault - 11 a.m. (Skyler Magula)
Men's 60m Semifinal – 1:18 p.m. (David Foster)
 
Saturday, March 9
Men's 60m Final (If Qualified) – 1:40 p.m. (David Foster)
Women's Triple Jump: 3:30 p.m. (Busola Akinduro)
 
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