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FAYETTEVILLE -- Chris Bucknam's 17-year run as the University of Arkansas men's track and field and cross country coach will soon reach the finish line. Bucknam, 69, announced Wednesday he will retire at the conclusion of the Razorbacks' cross country season. Arkansas is scheduled to host the NCAA South Region Championships at Agri Park on Nov. 14. The NCAA Championships are scheduled for Nov. 22 at Missouri. Doug Case, a long-time Arkansas assistant, will replace Bucknam as the Razorbacks' head coach. Case, 63, will become only the third person to lead the Arkansas program since John McDonnell was hired to replace Ed Renfrow in 1978 and turned the Razorbacks into a national powerhouse. "These life decisions and transitions are always tough," Bucknam said in a statement. "This certainly is not an easy one, but one I feel great about. Announcing my retirement effective December 31st and then hand the reigns over to Coach Case. It's been an honor to sit in the same chair as Coach McDonnell. "I've been in this business a long time. You don't always get to hand the baton off to your top assistant and go out on your own terms. (Athletic Director) Hunter Yurachek has allowed me to do that. I'm excited for the next chapter of our life, with my wife, Cindy, and our kids and our immediate families." Bucknam is one of six Arkansas head coaches who have achieved a national championship. The list includes Frank Broyles in football, Nolan Richardson in basketball, McDonnell in men's cross country and track and field, Lance Harter in women's cross country and track and field, and Chris Johnson in women's track and field. "Coach Bucknam has done an incredible job leading our men's track and field program over the last 18 years," Yurachek said. "He took over a legendary program and was able to put his own stamp on it, which is a testament to him, his staff and the student-athletes he's coached. Our track and field program has been very fortunate to have elite leadership for over 50 years and that will continue with Coach Case." Bucknam was hired away from Northern Iowa after McDonnell retired in 2008. The Razorbacks won NCAA team titles indoors in 2013 and 2023, and won 34 SEC championships across the three sports Bucknam oversees -- cross country (12), indoor track and field (12) and outdoor track and field (10). Under Bucknam, Arkansas had 18 podium finishes at an NCAA championship meet, winning twice and finishing second 6 times, third 5 times and fourth 5 times. A controversial finish might have cost Bucknam a third indoor title earlier this year. Arkansas is a five-time winner of the John McDonnell Program of the Year Award under Bucknam. That award is presented to the program with the best cumulative score at the cross country, indoor and outdoor NCAA meets. Keeping the Razorbacks' legacy of competitive programs across all three sports was a priority to Bucknam even while many programs began to specialize and stack scholarships toward one or two seasons. In 2024-25, Arkansas finished third at the NCAA cross country meet, fourth indoors and third outdoors. That gave the Razorbacks 10 points -- their best score since 2016 -- in the tabulation for McDonnell Program of the Year. Oklahoma State was a distant second with 25 points. Arkansas finished fourth at the SEC cross country meet last week. Case will be a head coach for the second time following a stint at Drake from 1996-99. He assisted Bucknam at Northern Iowa from 2000-08 and followed him to Arkansas to coach sprinters, relay teams and pole vaulters. Earlier this year Case coached sprinter Jordan Anthony to NCAA titles in the 60 meters indoors and 100 meters outdoors. Anthony is one of three finalists for the sport's top individual honor, The Bowerman trophy, which will be presented Dec. 18 in Grapevine, Texas. If Anthony wins the award, he will become the second Bowerman winner coached by Case. Sprinter Jarrion Lawson won The Bowerman in 2016. Case's athletes have won 13 NCAA individual championships, 22 SEC individual championships and set NCAA records in the 60 hurdles, 110 hurdles and 1,600 relay. He has coached 8 Olympians and 1 paralympian who have combined to win 2 Olympic gold medals and 4 gold medals at the World Championships. Case's first year as Arkansas' head coach will coincide with the Razorbacks hosting the NCAA Championships for the first of two consecutive indoor seasons. The 2026 indoor meet is scheduled for March 13-14 at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville. A native of Marshalltown, Iowa, Case competed for Bucknam as an all-conference sprinter at Northern Iowa from 1982-86.
