Miami didn’t know for sure it would get Malik Reneau back, but now the Hurricanes have their leading scorer from last season on board for one more year.
That matters no matter how Miami uses him. Whether Reneau starts or comes off the bench, the Hurricanes get a proven scorer and a major lift in the frontcourt.
Now he’s adding another line to his preseason résumé: Reneau has been named to the 2027 Karl Malone Award Watchlist. The award is in its 13th year and goes to the top power forward in NCAA Division I men’s basketball. It carries the name of Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone.
Reneau’s final season at Miami was loaded with recognition. He picked up All-ACC First Team and NABC All-Southeast District First Team honors after a senior year in which he started all 35 games and led the Hurricanes with 18.9 points per game. He also averaged 6.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 54 percent from the field and 78.8 percent at the free-throw line.
His perimeter game was a real part of the package, too. Reneau’s three-point shooting would rank among the best on the team, giving Miami another dimension offensively.
At 6-foot-9, he was a steady big-time producer. Reneau scored 20 or more points in 18 games and posted nine double-doubles, including six games with at least 20 points. His best scoring night came in a 28-point performance against Pitt, and he also delivered 23 points and a season-high 12 rebounds in a win at Florida State.
The preseason recognition keeps piling up before Miami tips off against No. 1 Florida. Reneau earned Preseason All-ACC Second Team honors, and the Hurricanes were selected to finish fourth in the conference preseason poll.
He’s one of three returning starters for a Miami team entering the 2026-27 season ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press Preseason Poll and No. 17 in the USA Today Preseason Coaches Poll.
For Miami, the return of Reneau is every bit as important as Dante Allen and Shelton Henderson. And for Reneau, this gives him a chance to finish his career on his own terms.
In Other News...
Miami Heads To UNC With One Injury Concern Still Lingering
Miamis injury picture remains a little messy heading into the trip to North Carolina, with six players already ruled out on the latest report. Wide receiver Joshua Moore and running back CharMar Brown are among the absences, while the Hurricanes will still be watching the status of a couple of notable pieces after freshman Milan Parris and veteran cornerback Xavier Lucas were not listed but continue to carry injury concerns.
That leaves a few moving parts for a game that already comes with some uncertainty on the other sideline, where UNC is dealing with its own defensive absences and questions. For Miami, the larger issue is less about the names already sidelined and more about whether the group it expects to have available can get through the week without another late setback. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Could Be Miamis Biggest Unbeaten Test Yet
Miamis unbeaten start has put it in a small and sturdy national club as Halloween weekend arrives, alongside Utah and UCLA as the only remaining FBS teams still at 7-0. For the Hurricanes, the early success has come from a team that has looked sharp on both sides of the ball, enough to keep it in the conversation as the schedule tightens and the margin for error shrinks.
The next stretch will tell much more about how real that start is, and Notre Dame looms as the kind of test that can reshape the seasons tone in a hurry. Projections still leave room for a strong finish, even one that lands Miami at 11-1, but the upcoming path also brings the sort of opponent that can expose whether this unbeaten run is built to last. [Read more 🡒]
Mario Cristobal Finds Himself In Another ACC Flashpoint After Miami Rout
After Miamis rout, the postgame scene briefly drew attention for reasons beyond the scoreboard when Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi was asked about a handshake with Mario Cristobal. Narduzzi used his Monday news conference to push back on any suggestion of animosity, saying the exchange was friendly and that he even told Cristobal to go win the national championship. For a Hurricanes program that has spent plenty of time in ACC crosscurrents, it was another reminder that the conversation around Miami rarely stays on the field for long.
Narduzzi also acknowledged the offseason friction that had lingered around accusations tied to transfer portal recruiting, which had already added heat to this matchup. But he framed this latest moment differently, describing the handshake as a positive one rather than another chapter in the tension. For Miami, its the kind of sideline subplot that can follow Cristobal around even after a dominant win, especially when conference relationships have already been tested. [Read more 🡒]