Southern Arkansas University Athletics

The late Mike Rubinski's journey to Magnolia began in the Sunshine State as the Florida native joined legendary head coach Raymond "Rip" Powell's 1972 Mulerider Football squad which would claim the program's first Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference Title in twenty years.
 
Rubinski merged into a crowded, but highly talented Southern State backfield which included the likes of fellow Mulerider Football legends Cleo House, Sr. (SAU Sports Hall of Fame C/O 2019) and Cornell Williams. Although Powell relied on Rubinski's legs at times to carry the football that freshman season, it was Rubinski's foot that helped him impact early as the team's place kicker on extra points and field goals.
 
As a collegiate rookie, Rubinski connected on 13 extra point attempts and totaled 165 yards on 37 carries with the first of what would became a then-career program record of 25 rushing touchdowns which came in the regular season finale; a 43-0 beat down of bitter league rival Arkansas-Monticello.
 
In 1974, Rubinski, who his teammates and coaches dubbed "The Florida Flash," became the first running back in program history to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark in a single season as the fullback totaled 1,064 yards on 229 carries with 11 touchdowns. He ranked second in the AIC that season in touchdowns, yards per carry and total points, while ranking third in attempts and rushing yards. In a game against Bishop College, Rubinski scored all five of the team's touchdowns setting a program record that would not be eclipsed until the 2000 season. 
 
He followed that effort with a 1975 campaign that resulted in 822 yards rushing on 196 carries with a dozen touchdowns. He once again ranked second in the AIC in touchdowns and total points and he finished third in attempts, rushing yards and yards per carry.
 
In his career, Rubinski established himself as not only one of the program's top ball carriers in Powell's run-heavy, wishbone era, but as one of the top running backs to ever don the Mulerider Blue & Gold. A two-time All-AIC selection as a running back, Rubinski garnered NAIA All-America Honorable Mention honors in his final season of 1975.
 
At the time his career came to an end, Rubinski owned program records in career rushing attempts, yards rushing, rushing touchdowns, touchdowns scored and points scored. Among Muleriders with at least 25 career touchdowns, Rubinski is the only player that competed earlier than the 2000 season.