California Lutheran University broke ground on a $10 million track and field venue during Homecoming Weekend in Thousand Oaks.

The ceremony on Tuesday, Oct. 27, drew university leaders, alumni, donors, coaches and student-athletes. Cal Lutheran's track and field athletes have practiced off campus for more than two decades, and the new facility would complete the school's NCAA Division III athletics complex.

The university said the venue also creates an opportunity to serve as a regional training site ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"This track and field facility will allow our family to have a home," head coach Brett Halvaks told the audience, according to a university announcement.

Halvaks, a Cal Lutheran alumnus who was a freshman distance runner at the school in 2008, said the team has long operated as a family without a permanent place to gather. More than 50 track and field athletes currently practice off campus at a nearby high school.

The new venue will feature a nine-lane, NCAA-compliant competition track along with dedicated areas for throws, long jump, triple jump, pole vault and high jump, according to the university's Where Dreams Take Flight campaign page. Plans also include permanent bleacher seating, a press box, timing booth and ADA-compliant restroom facilities.

The project matters to athletes.

President John Nunes said Cal Lutheran has "a glorious track and field history" and pledged the university would ensure "a glorious track and field future." Regals track and field captain Niani Jones spoke about the importance of belonging for student-athletes balancing academics and competition. University Regent Eric Berg, a 1992 graduate and former track athlete, honored past Cal Lutheran record-setters during the ceremony.

The men's and women's programs have produced more than 50 NCAA Division III national championship qualifiers and six individual national champions over the past 20 years, according to CLU Sports in January 2026. They achieved that record while practicing at Moorpark High School and other off-campus sites.

The $10 million track project is part of a broader $25 million fundraising campaign that also includes $12 million for scholarships and $3 million to renovate Samuelson Chapel, according to CLU Sports. The university said the track project still needs additional philanthropic support to reach its goal.

Cal Lutheran has not announced a completion date for the facility or disclosed how much of the $10 million has been raised.