2025-26 Track & Field Roster

Sam Novak

  • Position Pole Vault
  • Class Freshman
  • Hometown Paradise Valley, Ariz.
  • Last School(s) Phoenix Country Day School

Biography

CAREER BESTS:
Pole Vault (In):
5.45m (17-10.5)

CAREER HONORS
  • Tied for No. 3 in Cal indoor pole vault history
  • Owns the school freshman record in the indoor pole vault
  • 2x ACC Men's Freshman of the Week

2026: Ended the indoor season as the NCAA's No. 1 freshman and the ACC's No. 3 overall athlete in the pole vault... competed in three indoor meets for Cal... named the ACC Men's Freshman of the Week on Feb. 10... upgraded his freshman record to 5.45m (17-10.5) at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic, winning the A section title and moving into a tie for No. 3 in program history... recorded a mark of 5.25m (17-2.75) at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational... named ACC Men's Freshman of the Week on Jan. 20... broke a 19-year-old Cal freshman record in the indoor pole vault with a winning clearance of 5.25m (17-2.75) at the Spokane Sports Showcase, becoming the first Cal freshman in history to surpass 17 feet in the event and tying for sixth on the program top 10 list.

HIGH SCHOOL: Was the overall No. 2 men’s pole vault recruit (Track & Field News) had the fifth-best mark of all high school boys nationwide and best in Arizona by eight inches (5.38m/17-8)… two-time USA Track & Field (USATF) U20 Championships competitor (2024-25)… 2025 USATF Arizona Association Junior Olympic Champion… placed third at the 2025 Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) State Championships… three-time AIA Division V Champion (2023-25)… two-time competitor at Nike Outdoor Nationals (2023-24)… 2024 AIA State champion… competed at the 2024 New Balance Nationals Indoor meet.. 2023 USATF Arizona State runner-up… placed fourth at that year’s AIA State Championships… as a freshman in 2022, placed third at the AIA D4 Championships.