With the football season finished, transfer portal exits are beginning.
Three University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff players had announced their intent to transfer as of Monday afternoon.
Wide receiver Kareem Burke is the most noteworthy loss for UAPB. Burke was the team’s second-leading receiver with 35 catches for 494 yards and 2 touchdowns.
His best performance was a 102-yard day against Alcorn State in the Southern Heritage Classic. His touchdowns came early in the season against Central Arkansas and Lincoln (Calif.). The Florida A&M transfer caught five passes for 79 yards against his former team on Nov. 8.
Burke did not play against Prairie View A&M the next week due to injury. He attempted to play in the finale against Alabama State but couldn’t finish the game. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Another wide receiver, Bryce Robinson, was the first to declare his intent to transfer on Sunday. He came to UAPB this season from Division II school Livingstone College but saw limited playing time. His only catch this season was a 6-yard reception against Westgate Christian.
Punter Shea Yurkunas announced Monday he will transfer after two years in Pine Bluff. He sat behind Jeremy Baker in 2024 after arriving from Tyler Junior College and was expected to be the starter this year. Instead, baseball player Zach Wieder joined the football team this offseason and won the job. Yurkunas didn’t punt this year but did kick off 11 times for an average of 57.4 yards.
The transfer portal will officially be open Jan. 2-16 for Division I football players. This is a change effective this season after the NCAA previously had a December transfer window and another in the spring. The 15-day window in January will be the only one available to FCS players this year.