Austin, TX
Texas football: New commit Yaheim Riley describes his play style, being an Austin recruit
WATCH: Steve Sarkisian on how Texas offense will suit QB Arch Manning
Longhorn football coach Steve Sarkisian puts a bow on spring football and looks to the fall on tis week’s On Second Thought podcast.
When he heads off to college in a year or so, Yaheim Riley won’t have to travel far.
That was one the reasons why Riley chose to commit to the Texas football team. A three-star safety from Austin’s Anderson High School, Riley announced earlier this month that he will join the Longhorns’ 2026 recruiting class.
Riley is currently one of eight members in UT’s 2026 class, which currently ranks 26th nationally.
While recently working at a football camp put on by local products Sedrick Alexander, Latreveon McCutchin and Micah Gifford, Riley talked with reporters about his decision to play at Texas. He was previously committed to Houston, and he reportedly had offers from schools like Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt.
“There’s nothing wrong with just staying at the crib,” Riley said. “I just moved here, and this city’s good. I’ve been here for two, three years, and I just like the environment. Then I just like (UT assistant coach Duane) Akina, I like the coaching staff up there too.”
According to a Spectrum News report, Riley grew up in Florida and has thus adopted the “Miami” nickname since his move to Texas. After playing at LBJ the past two seasons, Riley will suit up at Anderson this fall.
LBJ assistant coach Roderick Green wrote on social media that “Texas is definitely getting a playmaker! He can cover like a corner and come downhill (with) bad intentions! One of the best open field tacklers in high school football!”
But how would the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Riley describe his game?
“(Texas is) getting a hard hitter, a hard worker,” Riley said. “I love to work. If I ain’t working, I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Yaheim Riley is a rare Austin ISD recruit for Texas
Even though the Austin school district and Texas share an area code, a recruiting pipeline between the two entities doesn’t exist. Over the past decade, Austin High quarterback Charles Wright (2021), wide receiver Cayleb Jones (2012) and offensive lineman Mark Buchanan (2008) and LBJ tight end D.J. Grant (2008) have been the only Austin ISD products signed out of high school by Texas.
But Texas is coming off a season in which Andrew Mukuba, an LBJ graduate who started his college career at Clemson, starred in the secondary and developed into a second-round draft pick by the Philadelphia Eagles. Riley is hoping that he can also help change the narrative about the talent that exists in the city.
“Austin’s got a lot of slept-on talent,” Riley said. “I just say don’t sleep on the talent, there’s a lot of good people in Austin. I just will say just even though they might not look the part, just give them a chance. It’s a lot of good talent out here.”
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Austin, TX
7 Juneteenth celebrations happening in Austin this weekend
Juneteenth celebrations are happening across the city this weekend. The events will mark the 161st anniversary of the day Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay to announce that more than 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were free. The announcement on June 19, 1865, came more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. June 19 — known as Juneteenth — became a federal holiday in 2021.
From historical bike rides to Austin’s annual parade, here are seven events taking place in Austin.
Annual Juneteenth FunRun, June 19
The city of Austin’s African American Cultural and Heritage Facility will host a fun run starting at 8:30 a.m. on Friday at East Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Leona Street, and concluding at Hargrave Street near the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex. Participants will have one hour to complete the course. The route is the same as the parade through the African American Historical Cultural District that will start later that morning. Runners and walkers of all ages and levels can participate.
Central Texas Juneteenth Parade & Festival, June 19
The annual Juneteenth parade will take place Friday and begin at 10 a.m. at East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Leona Street and will travel down to Chicon Street before turning on Rosewood Avenue. The parade will feature floats, live music and performers.
A Very Juneteenth Comedy Jam, June 19
The Velveeta Room, Austin’s longest-running comedy club, will have shows highlighting Black voices Friday night at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. The 18+ event will feature comedians like Freddy Do Less and Roderick McDaniel. Tickets for both shows are around $23.
Sistas Walk And Talk: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
Texas Sistas Society will host a 3-mile walk and talk Saturday at 515 S. Pleasant Valley Road starting at 7:45 a.m. Texas Sistas Society is an Austin-based community created for Black women and women of color. Attendees are encouraged to wear Juneteenth colors: red, yellow, green or black, and to RSVP ahead of time.
The Carver Kickback: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
The George Washington Carver Museum in Austin is dedicated to creating a “space where the global contributions of all Black people are celebrated.” The museum is hosting a free celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday with barbecue plates, live music, vendors and activities for all ages.
Black Auteur Film Festival, June 20
The Black Auteur Film Festival, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Black filmmakers in Texas, is hosting its third annual film festival to showcase short films directed by Black Texans at AFS Cinema on Saturday. One filmmaker will win the $1,000 “Best of Fest” award, and attendees can enter a raffle for a chance to win Austin Film Society memberships and movie tickets. The festival runs from 2 to 5 p.m. Tickets are $14.
Juneteenth Social Ride, June 21
Black History Bike Ride, an Austin nonprofit teaching people about the city’s Black history through cycling, is hosting its seventh annual Juneteenth ride starting at the Haskell House on Saturday at 10 a.m. Austin-based historian Harrison Eppright will serve as the ride’s guide. Registration is required for all attendees. The event is free, but donations are encouraged.
Austin, TX
Everything you need to know about Austin run clubs
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Data analyst Corey Yeung created the ATX Running Guide to help runners find community across Central Texas. What started as a personal project has become one of Austin’s most comprehensive running resources.
Looking for a Run Club? There’s a Map for That
When Corey Yeung moved to Austin three years ago, he had a simple question:
“How many run clubs are actually out there?” The answer wasn’t easy to find. While several websites listed local groups, Yeung felt none offered a complete picture. So, he decided to build one himself. What started as a spreadsheet evolved into ATX Running Guide, a website and social media platform that helps runners discover clubs throughout the Austin area.
“The list would be more useful if it were a map and search tool,” Yeung said. “The Instagram page was simply a way to communicate those free resources to the community.”
Today, the guide covers running groups from San Marcos to Hutto and serves as a one-stop resource for runners looking to connect. In this episode of KXAN’S Plus Simple Health, Corey Yeung walks us through everything you need to know about the 200-plus running clubs in Austin.
Austin, TX
Texas Volts begin first home slate Thursday at Dell Diamond
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Volts are off to a rough start in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, but maybe a little home cooking can help them get right.
After playing their first five games on the road, the Volts open play at Dell Diamond in Round Rock at 6 p.m. Thursday against the Utah Talons, kicking off an 8-game homestand.
It’s the first season the Volts will call Dell Diamond home. In the league’s inaugural season last year, the original four teams competed with a touring schedule that included a stop at Dell Diamond. This is the first year that the AUSL, now a 6-team league, will play in home markets.
They have a roster peppered with local stars, including 2-time NCAA national champion middle infielder Leighann Goode from the Texas Longhorns. Aliyah Binford, a New Braunfels native, played collegiately for Ole Miss and former Texas State pitcher Jessica Mullins made an appearance in the Volts’ previous series against the Carolina Blaze.
Goode said there’s been a bit of a learning curve, but she credits her teammates for helping her adjust to the league.
“This group has brought me in and taught me stuff, taken me under their wings,” she said. “They’ve done an awesome job.”
Legendary Texas pitcher Cat Osterman is the team’s general manager, and the head coach is Texas State’s Ricci Woodard.
“We’re ready to rock and roll at home,” Woodard said. “I’m anxious to see what happens now that we get to play in our own place.”
Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 draft, joined the team last weekend after a brief contract holdout.
The Volts are 1-4 this season, picking up their lone win over the Oklahoma City Spark on June 10. They’ll face the Talons in a 3-game series, the Chicago Bandits for a pair June 23-24, and finish the homestand with a 3-game set against the expansion Portland Cascade on June 26-28.
Ryan Sanders Baseball, the organization that owns and operates the Round Rock Express, is an operating partner with the Volts and an investor with the AUSL.
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