Chris Bucknam announced retirement, Doug Case named head men’s coach
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FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas men’s track and field head coach Chris Bucknam has announced his retirement at the end of 2025 and Razorback head coach Doug Case will be the next head coach of the men’s program.
“Coach Bucknam has done an incredible job leading our men’s track and field program over the past 18 years,” said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Hunter Jurachek. “He took over a legendary program and was able to put his own stamp on it, which is a testament to himself, his staff and the athletes of the athletes. Our athletics program has been very fortunate to have elite leadership for over 50 years, and that will continue with Coach Case.”
In 18 seasons with the Razorbacks, Bucknam collected NCAA indoor championships, guiding Arkansas teams to 18 NCAA top-four finishes and 31 NCAA top-10 finishes in cross country, indoor and outdoor.
In addition to the pair of national championships, the Razorbacks have been NCAA runners-up six times, finishing third and fourth five times each.
Bucknam is one of six University of Arkansas head coaches to win a national championship in every sport. The roster includes Frank Broyles in football, Nolan Richardson in basketball, John McDonnell in men’s cross country and track and field, Lance Harter in women’s track and field and Chris Johnson in women’s track and field.
“These life decisions and transitions are always difficult,” Bucknam said. “It’s certainly not easy, but I feel great. Announcing my retirement effective December 31st, I am now turning over the reins to Coach Casey. It is an honor to sit in the same chair as Coach McDonnell.
“I have been involved in this business for a long time. It’s not always possible to pass the baton to your top assistant and go out on your own terms. Hunter Jurachek gave me permission to do this. I am excited about the next chapter in our lives, with my wife Cindy, our children and our immediate families.”
Case, also in his 18th season at Arkansas, has been an assistant coach for the Razorbacks for the past seven years. Now in his 35th year of college coaching, Case previously was the head coach at Drake University (1996-99) and served as an assistant coach at Arkansas State (1989-95) and head coach at Northern Iowa (2000-08).
“We’ve had a long history and we’ve done some pretty good things,” said Case, who has been on Bucknam’s coaching staff for the past 26 seasons. “I’m excited about this next chapter and next step. Still, not training with Coach Bucknam will feel a little weird for a while.
“I assume he’ll be around, and I hope he is. We would encourage him to still be a part of the program.”
When Case became the next Razorback men’s head coach, Bucknam said, “I don’t think there is a more qualified coach among the Power 4 schools than Doug Case. His record is phenomenal. His ability to coach, recruit and nurture is off the charts.
“He has a great demeanor and bases all his decisions on what’s best for his athletes. Another thing that comes into play with Coach Case is his loyalty. We were together in Northern Iowa and then here in Arkansas. He never kept anything secret about his program, his athletes. Everything was open.”
Arkansas won the USTFCCCA John McDonnell Program of the Year Award for the second year in a row and the fifth time since the awards began in 2008-09.
For the 2024-25 season, the Razorbacks were the only men’s or women’s program to finish in the top four at three NCAA Championships, with Arkansas finishing third in cross country, fourth indoors and third outdoors. It was the first time the men’s program accomplished the feat since Oregon in 2015-16.
“The superstar staff I’ve had with the two greats, Doug Case and Travis Geopfert, and now Rob Jarvis in the picture,” Bucknam said. “It took a team effort, so those two assistant coaches own the successes I’ve had as well as the near misses.
“It was just an honor to be able to sit in that chair of the greatest coach in any sport, John McDonnell. In my opinion, he is without a doubt the best coach in NCAA history in any sport.
Bucknam earned 34 SEC team titles with the Razorbacks, earning 12 cross country, 12 indoor and 10 outdoor championships. Arkansas has claimed six SEC triple crowns under Bucknam, and the Razorbacks have won 14 of the past 17 conferences contested in indoor cross country from 2020 to 2025.
“It’s great leadership for me,” Bucknam said of his success at Arkansas. “Over the years, if you can maintain things like that, you’re doing something right. When you have good support from the administration as well as great facilities like we had here, it shows all the accolades. It’s been pretty amazing with all the things we’ve accomplished. We intend to do the same.”
Case has been named the USTFCCCA South Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year five times. He had a pair of Bowerman finalists and one award winner. Case has coached 20 individual NCAA champions and his athletes set three NCAA records in the 60m hurdles, 110m hurdles and 4 x 400m relay.
“There is no overhaul that needs to be done with Arkansas athletics,” Case said. “It will be business as usual, the personnel will be a little different, but we will focus on the same things and focus on excellence.
“We’re going to continue to do what we’ve done for basically the last 50 years here with Arkansas track and field.”
Along with 34 team SEC titles while at Arkansas, Case was a part of a total of 55 conference titles. He has coached 32 individual SEC champions and his athletes have broken 14 UA records. Under Case’s leadership, Arkansas currently has 199 first-team All-Americans and 246 total.
Internationally, Case has coached two Olympic gold medalists, eight Olympians and one Paralympian. They won four gold medals of the World Championship. Case also coached five Jamaican national champions.
