Arkansas
Shaped By His Father’s Legacy, Arkansas’ Reuben Reina Jr. Shines After SEC Win
Reuben Reina Sr. (left) hugs his son, Reuben Reina Jr., after the Arkansas redshirt junior won the … [+]
Reuben Reina Jr. stepped off the track Saturday following his win in the men’s mile at the SEC Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas, and found a familiar face staring him down – his father, Reuben Reina Sr., the University of Arkansas track and field legend.
“My dad says it,” said Reina Jr., 21, who was also second in the men’s 3,000 meters and the distance medley relay at SECs, “winning championships is what makes you a great runner.”
Only now it was the son, in his first major championship in a Razorbacks jersey – finishing a taut thriller in a time of 4:03.02 – turning the page and setting the stage for what may be to come at the NCAA level.
With a wide smile from ear to ear, Reina Sr. wrapped his arms around Reina Jr. and made it last.
“He’s made a big breakthrough this year,” Reina Sr. said. “It’s great to see. The kid has worked hard for a long time, had a lot of setbacks with injuries and illnesses and sicknesses and things like that. I’m just glad to see him healthy and finally reaching his full potential.”
The History Of Arkansas Legend Reuben Reina Sr.
Stories of fathers and sons are long in track and field, with legacies creating valleys between one generation to the next. The Gregoreks, Centrowitzs and Culpeppers are among the most notable. Sometimes the only way to pass them is to win an Olympic gold – which is something the younger Centrowitz accomplished in 2016, earning a win in the men’s 1,500 final in Rio as his father watched on.
Those legacies certainly live on in Arkansas, too.
Reina Sr. was one of the most successful distance runners in Razorbacks history, a member of the U.S. team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, a two-time NCAA indoor champion at 3,000 meters and an eight-time All-American in cross country. As a prep, he also won a 1985 national championship and left his native Texas as one of the best in high school history.
His son arrived at the University of Arkansas in 2021 with talent, for sure, and with three state titles to his name, but unlike major high school stars with cross country championships or sub-4 mile performances and national records, Reina Jr. undertrained before his jump to college.
“He’s not a kid that ran a lot of miles in high school,” said Reina Sr., who raised his family in Springdale, Arkansas, roughly 10 miles from the Fayetteville campus. “So he was never like a lot of the best kids in the country that were running mega miles and doing these incredible workouts.”
History suggested that was a smart move, though, and Reina Jr. finally flipped a switch in 2023. Cracking the sub-4 mile barrier for the first time last year, he built on that frame heading into his redshirt junior season in 2025.
Following a disappointing cross country season, which saw Reina Jr. finish 13th at the SEC Championships but 229th at nationals, he brushed it off with a personal record time of 13:41.76 for 5,000 meters in December and then a school record in the mile just a month later, surpassing Reina Sr. for the first time.
Reuben Reina Jr. pulls ahead in the final moments to win the SEC Indoor Championship in the mile on … [+]
Arkansas’ Reuben Reina Jr. Breaks Through In 2025
On the stage that saw him break four minutes for the first time, Reina Jr. returned to the Arkansas Invitational to run 3:55:40 – tying a school record that had stood since 1977. His father had run his best of 3:57.08 in 1991, a full 34 years earlier.
“I always expected more out of myself than what I’ve really done,” Reina Jr. said, “and that’s just because the guys I train with are high level athletes, 800 meters through the 10K, and I have the opportunity to work with them different days of the week.
“I’ve always seemed to hang on …but the breakthrough has been just keeping at it every day and knowing it’s going to come at some point.”
Two weeks later, Reina Jr. did it again, surpassing his mile marker with a time of 3:53.95. The performance was an outright school record.
Then he ran a personal best time of 7:44.92 for 3,000 meters.
But the NCAA is also at a critical inflection point, with records not lasting very long nowadays. Before 2020, Reina’s mile best would have sat somewhere in the top 10 performances in NCAA history.
In 2025, though, it’s just outside the top 25 and ranked 17th going into the NCAA Championships this month in Virginia Beach, Virginia – meanwhile, the top 16 athletes at the distance qualify for each distance at nationals, though athletes may also choose to run other events, thereby opting out.
The Future For Arkansas Athlete Reuben Reina Jr.
Reina Jr.’s goal, naturally, is to earn an opportunity to win a national championship.
“The goal is to make the final,” he said. “And once you’re in the final, what do you want to do? Get last? No. So I’m going to put myself there in any race to win, and that’s the goal. You have to be there with a lap to go, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Reina Sr. says he can only be impressed at this point.
Perhaps his remaining championships and record efforts – including efforts of 7:43.02 for 3,000 meters, 13:24.78 for 5,000 meters and 28:31 for 10,000 meters – are short on time.
“He’s a little bit of a late bloomer,” Reina Sr. said of his son. “But he’s grown up last year – (literally), the guy grew three inches last year. So he’s still growing and developing and now I think it’s all coming together for him.”
While Reina Jr. may not be chasing his father’s legacy, there’s no doubt he’s at least trying to honor the man who shaped him.
“He’s taught me everything, from when I first started running in seventh grade to hear,” Reina Jr. said. “He was one of the best because he knew how to win races and be in big races.”
BROOKLYN — Arkansas point guard Darius Acuff is the first of three Razorbacks off the board in the 2026 NBA Draft Tuesday night when he was selected by the Sacramento Kings with the No. 7 overall pick in the first round.
Acuff’s selection makes him the highest drafted player from Arkansas since 2023 when Anthony Black went No. 6 overall to the Orlando Magic.
He went into the night projected to be the first player from the Hogs taken following a phenomenal freshman year that saw him earn first team All-American honors, SEC Player of the Year, league freshman of the year, and SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player.
Likely his biggest accomplishment was becoming the first player to lead the SEC in points and assists since Pete Maravich in 1970.
As a freshman, Acuff averaged over 24 points, six assists and three rebounds on 48% shooting from the field, 44% from three and 81% from free throw line.
His knack as a bucket getter and facilitator lifted the Razorbacks to a different level in the postseason by averaging an astonishing 30 points, seven assists and one steal across six postseason tournament games.
He led Arkansas to a victory over Vanderbilt for the SEC Tournament Championship and back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances.
Arguably his best performance of the season came in a double-overtime classic in Tuscaloosa against Alabama when he dropped 49 points on 16-of-27 from the floor, 6-of-10 from three and 11-of-12 from the free throw line. He also contributed with five rebounds, five assists and only one turnover in 50 minutes.
And don’t forget, the 6-foot-2, 186 pound point guard did all of that on a bum ankle he sustained against Aubrn just four days prior.
During a media appearance on ESPN last week, Calipari made sure to warn NBA teams they will regret passing on superstar point guard.
“A great teammate. We all hear stuff. I’m around these kids, all they want to do is get better. They want to respect who’s coaching them,” Calipari told Colin Cowherd on The Herd. “And Darius Acuff, I’m telling you, there’s going to be some guys regretting [not picking him.]
“That’s okay. That’s okay. When he starts playing, you’ll remember this conversation, and we’re saying, ‘You’re going to regret not taking him.’”
Acuff is the latest in a growing list of coach John Calipari guards to be selected as lottery picks across his four decades in the college game. Former Kentucky stars Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, John Wall, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, De’Aaron Fox and Brandon Knight.
During his time at Memphis, Calipari helped Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, and Dajuan Wagner were each lotter picks from 2000-2009.
The 2026 NBA Draft will continue with its second round Wednesday night at 7 p.m. CT from the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
Coach Cal Reaction
There haven’t been many times over the years that Calipari has missed out on watching one of his stars stroll across the stage to shake hands with the NBA Commissioner.
The second-year Razorbacks coach told the world Tuesday night that the Kings will be getting a “fierce competitor and winner” in Acuff.
With NBA Lottery pick and Sacramento Kings Guard Darius Acuff Jr!!! Congratulations to the entire family! The Kings are getting a fierce competitor and winner https://t.co/pk7T9H8e8b
— John Calipari (@CoachCalArk) June 24, 2026
Being drafted by Sacramento shouldn’t come as a surprise either as most mock drafts pegged him at No. 7 overall since the beginning of the college basketball offseason. With so many connections to the franchise, the Kings’ organization might be the perfect fit after all as General manager Scott Perry coached his father two decades ago at Eastern Kentucky.
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KAIT) – Registration is open for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s annual urban deer hunt.
This year’s hunts will be held in Cherokee Village, Fairfield Bay, Heber Springs, Helena-West Helena, Horseshoe Bend and Russellville.
The archery-only hunts are designed to offer an “inexpensive and effective method of nuisance deer management,” according to an AGFC news release.
Deer harvested during the urban hunts do not count toward a hunter’s seasonal limit, and there are no limits to the number of deer that can be harvested.
However, the first deer taken must be donated to Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry, which provides ground meat to food pantries across the state.
Hunters must pass the International Bowhunters Education Program before participating. The program is available at www.agfc.com/education/hunter-education.
Hunters also must attend orientation to learn the specific rules of the hunts and pass a shooting proficiency test.
For more information, visit www.agfc.com/urbanhunt.
To report a typo or correction, please click here.
Copyright 2026 KAIT. All rights reserved.
The Arkansas Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Monday, June 22, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 22 drawing
17-19-21-45-48, Powerball: 13, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 22 drawing
Midday: 8-6-8
Evening: 4-9-7
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 22 drawing
Midday: 4-4-6-9
Evening: 6-4-1-4
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Natural State Jackpot numbers from June 22 drawing
07-17-23-28-32
Check Natural State Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 22 drawing
07-08-20-24-42, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Arkansas Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3 Midday: 12:59 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
- Cash 3 Evening: 6:59 p.m. CT daily.
- Cash 4 Midday: 12:59 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
- Cash 4 Evening: 6:59 p.m. CT daily.
- Lucky For Life: 9:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Natural State Jackpot: 8 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
- LOTTO: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arkansas editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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