Reuben Reina, Jay class of '86

Reuben Reina, class of '86, was the greatest distance runner in Texas high school history. He attended John Glenn Elementary and Pease Middle School before following in the footsteps of Jay H.S. star milers, Randy Reina, class of '78, and Roland Reina, class of '81, Reub's brothers.


Superstar distance runners win the mile or two mile at the state championships. Legends win both of them. Reub pulled "the double", winning BOTH the mile AND two mile races at the state championships. The miraculous thing is that he won BOTH the mile and two-mile races as a sophomore...as a junior...AND as a senior at Jay! As if that wasn't enough, Reuben won the STATE cross country meet and then WON the NATIONAL cross country championship while in high school. While other Mustangs proudly wore "All-District" patches on their jackets, Reuben had a patch of the whole United States of America!

Reub went on to be an eight-time All-American in the mile, 3,000 and 5,000 at the Univ. of Arkansas. He won NCAA titles in the '90 and '91 3,000 meters and was on teams that won six NCAA Championships. Reuben ran for the United States in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and was inducted into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame this year.

Reub and his high school sweetheart wife, athlete Joell Olivares, Jay class of '88, both graduated from the University of Arkansas and have four kids. Their daughter won the 2009 Arkansas 6A varsity STATE CHAMPIONSHIP in the mile, 2 mile, and cross country as a high school FRESHMAN.