ODESSA, Texas (November 21, 2024) – Led by senior wide receiver Jeremiah Cooley and sophomore linebacker Tristan Exline, The University of Texas Permian Basin football team had 22 All-Lone Star Conference selections. It was the most Falcons honored in one season by the LSC in program history. In addition, Dylan Graham and Chrishoun Roberts were named to the 2024 LSC Football All-Academic Team.

Jeremiah Cooley – Sr., WR – LSC Receiver of the Year, First-Team All-LSC Offense
Cooley has been named the LSC Receiver of the Year while earning First-Team All-LSC honors for the second year in a row. This season, he played in all 11 games and led the Falcons receiving corps with 552 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 40 receptions. He averaged 13.80 yards per catch and was second on the team with 50.18 receiving yards per game. With eight touchdowns, he was third on the team in scoring (48 points). In addition, with 16 combined touchdown receptions over the last two seasons and 19 for his career, Cooley is second in program history in career receiving touchdowns.

Cooley led the LSC in receiving touchdowns, was third in total receptions, was sixth in total receiving yards, was tied for sixth in receptions per game (3.6), and was seventh in receiving yards per game. In scoring, he was tied for eighth in the conference among non-kickers at 4.4 points per game. In addition, his eight touchdowns were tied for 30th in all of NCAA Division II.

Cooley began his senior season with eight catches for 116 yards against Western New Mexico (Sept. 31) and then caught five passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns at CSU-Pueblo (Sept. 7) in the second game of the season. That put Cooley over 1,000 yards receiving in his career (currently at 1,415 career receiving yards), making him the first of four Falcons to reach that feat this season.

Cooley would finish with four catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns at Eastern New Mexico (Nov. 9) and had seven catches for 78 yards and two more touchdowns in the regular-season finale at Sul Ross State (Nov. 16). In all, Cooley had four touchdowns in UTPB's first three games of the season and had four more in the final two games.

Tristan Exline – So., ILB – LSC Co-Linebacker of the Year, First-Team All-LSC Defense
Exline started in all 11 games and led the Falcons with 96 total tackles, including 53 solo tackles. He was also second with 14.5 tackles for loss and was third with 4.5 sacks, all while adding one interception, one forced fumble, four quarterback hurries and two pass breakups.

Exline ranked third in the LSC in tackles for loss, was tied for fifth in sacks, and ranked sixth in both total tackles and tackles per game (8.7). As a team, the UTPB defense was second in the conference in sacks (151) this season. In Division II, Exline was tied for 25th in solo tackles per game (4.8) and ranked 31st in total tackles per game.

Exline had four tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss of eight yards, and 2.0 sacks in the season opener against Western New Mexico (Aug. 31), a performance which garnered him the first LSC Defensive Player of the Week award of the season. Two weeks later, Exline dominated with eight total tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss of 12 yards, 1.5 sacks and an interception in UTPB's 67-14 win over Adams State (Sept. 14) before coming back strong the next week with 15 total tackles, 11 solo tackles, and 4.0 tackles for a loss of eight yards against Texas A&M-Kingsville (Sept. 21).

Exline was named the inaugural Edgardo Madrid & Associates Men's Student-Athlete of the Month for September. Exline led the Falcons with 36 total tackles, including 24 solo tackles, and 9.0 tackles for loss during the first month of the season. He was also second on the team with 3.5 sacks and added an interception.

As the season progressed, Exline continued to be a force on defense, finishing with 11 solo tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and a forced fumble in a 64-14 victory at Eastern New Mexico (Nov. 9). Lastly, Exline recorded 14 total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in the final regular-season game at Sul Ross State (Nov. 16). It was his fourth game this season and third game in a row with double-digit tackles and was his seventh game overall with at least 1.0 tackle for loss.

Traylen Suel – So., Return Specialist – First-Team All-LSC Offense
Suel, who also plays wide receiver, played in all 11 games and had 12 kickoff returns for 321 yards and one touchdown. He averaged 26.75 yards per return. Suel showed off his speed with a 96-yard return for a touchdown against Adams State (Sept. 14) and was named the LSC Special Team Player of the Week. Suel, who finished with 140 yards on three returns against the Grizzlies, provided UTPB with its first points in the third quarter. He also hauled in a 47-yard touchdown pass less than two minutes later. Suel led the LSC in kickoff return average and was third in yards and tied for third in attempts. As a team, UTPB led the conference in kickoff return average (23.0 YPG) and ranked 37th in Division II.

Frank Mulipola – Jr., DE – First-Team All-LSC Defense
Mulipola was named first-team all-conference this season after earning second-team honors in 2023. This season, he played in all 11 games, was second on the team with 5.0 sacks and was fourth with 7.0 tackles for loss and 45 total tackles. He also led the Falcons with seven quarterback hurries, added two pass breakups, and had one blocked kick. In addition to Mulipola, who ranked fourth in the LSC in sacks, the UTPB defense was second in the conference in sacks (151) this season.

Mulipola tied his career-high with eight tackles during the Falcons' season-opening win over Western New Mexico (Aug. 31). He later had four tackles and a career-best 2.0 sacks for 17 yards in the win at Midwestern State (Set. 28). In the Falcons' big win at No. 9 nationally-ranked Central Washington (Oct. 12), Mulipola blocked a 29-yard field goal attempt by the Wildcats with just 17 seconds left in the first half.

Jalani Jefferson – Jr., CB – First-Team All-LSC Defense
In his first season with the Falcons, Jefferson played in 10 games and led the Falcons with eight pass breakups. He had 26 tackles and 5.0 tackles for loss, and was one of two players with two interceptions. Jefferson was tied for fourth in the conference this season in pass breakups and total passes defended (10).

Jefferson was then named the Lone Star Conference's Defensive Player of the Week for the week ending on Sunday, October 13, 2024. Jefferson had two interceptions and five tackles to help the Falcons upset No. 9 Central Washington (Oct. 12) on the road. Jefferson also had two pass breakups and 1.0 tackle for loss in the 14-13 win. It was the highest ranked team the Falcons have beaten in program history. Jefferson's two picks came in the first half and he broke up the Wildcats' final pass attempt of the game.

Ramon Diaz – Gr., OG – Second-Team All-LSC Offense
Diaz played in 10 games this season and has been a four-year starter on the offensive line for the Falcons.

Tristin Willis – Sr., OT – Second-Team All-LSC Offense
Willis started in all 11 games this season on the offensive line. Behind the efforts of Willis and Diaz, UTPB ranked first in the LSC in scoring offense (34.5 PPG), total offense (428.9 YPG) and passing offense (254.0 YPG), and was third in rushing offense (174.9 YPG). In all of Division II, the Falcons ranked 16th in scoring offense, 18th in total offense, 21st in passing offense, 28th in tackles for loss allowed per game (4.64), 31st in rushing offense, and 35th in sacks allowed per game (1.36).

Deon Cook – Sr., WR – Second-Team All-LSC Offense
Cook was named Second-Team All-LSC this season after earning honorable mention in 2023. This season, he played in 10 games and led the Falcons with 53.00 receiving yards per game. He was also second on the team with 530 receiving yards, and was third with 36 receptions and four receiving touchdowns. He averaged 14.72 yards per catch. With four touchdowns, he was fifth on the team in scoring (24 points). In the conference, Cook was fifth in receiving yards per game, was tied for sixth in receptions per game (3.6), was eighth in both total receptions and total yards, and was tied for eighth in receiving touchdowns.

In the regular-season finale at Sul Ross State (Nov. 16), Cook caught six passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns, including a 77-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game. Cook's second touchdown catch against the Lobos saw him make a pair of one-handed highlight-reel grabs, first on a 36-yard catch to get the ball to within the 10-yard line, and secondly on a nine-yard touchdown pass to the back, left corner of the endzone.

Kory Harris – Jr., RB – Second-Team All-LSC Offense
Harris was named Second-Team All-LSC this season after earning honorable mention in 2023. He played in all 11 games this year and rushed for 1,009 yards and 11 touchdowns on 218 rushes. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry and 91.73 yards per game. Harris added 13 receptions for 103 yards and one touchdown and averaged 7.92 yards per catch and 9.36 receiving yards per game. With 12 combined touchdowns on the season, Harris led the Falcons in scoring (72 points). He had five combined touchdowns within the first four games of the season and then rushed for six touchdowns between the final two games of the season.

Harris led the LSC in rushing attempts, was second in total rushing yards, was third in rushing yards per game, and was tied for third in rushing touchdowns. In scoring, he was tied for fourth in the conference at 6.5 points per game and was third among non-kickers. In addition, Harris led the conference in all-purpose yards (1,112) and was second in all-purpose yards per game (101.1).

At the national level, Harris ranked 19th in Division II in total rushing yards, was 22nd in rushing yards per game, tied for 23rd in rushing touchdowns, and tied for 34th in total touchdowns. As a team, Harris helped the Falcons rank third in the conference and 31st in Division II in rushing offense (174.9 YPG).

With 41 rushing yards against Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday, September 21, 2024, Harris became the Falcons' new all-time leading rusher with 1,644 yards. After finishing with 865 rushing yards as a sophomore in 2023, Harris had accumulated 1,271 yards in his first two seasons, which ranked third in program history at the time. He then started his 2024 season with 82 rushing yards against Western New Mexico (Aug. 31), 95 rushing yards at CSU-Pueblo (Sept. 7), and 155 yards against Adams State (Sept. 14) to pull within striking distance of the record.

Later on in the season, Harris ran 20 times for 81 yards and two touchdowns at Eastern New Mexico (Nov. 9), becoming the first Falcon to rush for 2,000 yards in his career (2,079 yards). Then in UTPB's regular-season finale at Sul Ross State (Nov. 16), Harris rushed for four touchdowns and would finish the game with 26 carries for a program-record of 201 yards, which was good for 7.7 yards per attempt. He is the first UTPB runner to surpass 200 rushing yards in a game and 1,000 yards in a season (1,009 yards). In addition, with his four touchdowns in the contest, he ties the UTPB single-season record for both rushing touchdowns (11) and total touchdowns (12).

Ashton Hamby – Sr., OLB – Second-Team All-LSC Defense
Hamby played in 10 games and was third on the team with 48 total tackles, including 26 solo tackles. He had 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and three quarterback hurries. Hamby had seven tackles and two quarterback hurries in UTPB's big 14-13 win at No. 9-ranked Central Washington (Oct. 12). Hamby then totaled a career-high 10 tackles and had a forced fumble during his Senior Day game vs. Western Oregon (Oct. 19), added eight tackles at West Texas A&M (Oct. 26), and had a 28-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the regular-season finale at Sul Ross State (Nov. 16).

Grant Gensemer – Sr., Long Snapper – Second-Team All-LSC Defense
Gensemer was named Second-Team All-LSC this season after earning honorable mention in 2023. He played in all 11 games as the team's long snapper this season.

Brock Johnson – Sr., TE – Honorable Mention All-LSC
Johnson earned honorable mention all-conference for the third year in a row. This season, he started in all 11 games and had five catches for 46 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 9.20 yards per catch. Johnson caught his first touchdown pass of the season in the 67-14 win over Adams State (Sept. 14). In the 64-14 win at Eastern New Mexico (Nov. 9), Johnson caught a seven-yard touchdown pass on the first possession of the game and then caught the two-point conversion pass on UTPB's second touchdown of the first quarter.

La'Quan Wells – Sr., WR – Honorable Mention All-LSC
Wells was named honorable mention all-conference this season after earning second-team honors in 2023. This season, he played in all 11 games and was second on the team with 38 receptions. He had 320 receiving yards, averaged 8.42 yards per catch and 20.09 receiving yards per game, and had three receiving touchdowns. Wells was seventh in the LSC in receptions and was tied for eighth in receptions per game (3.5).

Ben Patterson – Jr., WR – Honorable Mention All-LSC
Patterson was named honorable mention all-conference this season after earning second-team honors in 2023. This season, he played in all 11 games and ranked second on the team with five touchdown catches. He was also third on the team with 502 receiving yards and was fourth with 27 receptions. He averaged 18.59 yards per catch and 45.64 receiving yards per game. With five touchdowns, he was fourth on the team in scoring (30 points). In addition, Patterson was the fourth UTPB wide receiver to enter the 1,000-Yard Club this season (1,071 career yards). In the conference, Patterson was fifth in yards per catch, was tied for fifth in receiving touchdowns, and was 10th in receiving yards.

In UTPB's 21-7 road win at West Texas A&M (Oct. 26), Patterson caught a 54-yard touchdown pass on the Falcons' second play of the game and finished with four catches for a career-high 161 receiving yards. It is the fourth-most receiving yards in a single game in UTPB history. Patterson also had touchdown catches of 71 yards (Sept. 21 vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville) and 83 yards (Aug. 31 vs. Western New Mexico), giving him three touchdowns of 50-plus yards this season. His 83-yard touchdown was the second longest in the LSC this year. Patterson's 11 career touchdowns are tied for the third-most in program history while his 18.59 yards per catch this season are fourth.

Gunnar Abseck – Gr., WR – Honorable Mention All-LSC
Abseck played in all 11 games and caught 22 passes for 227 yards and one touchdown. He averaged 10.32 yards per catch and 20.64 receiving yards per game. Abseck was also 4-for-5 on two-point conversions (2-2 Rush; 2-3 Pass). He had at least one reception in each of the first eight games of the season. Abseck caught four passes for 80 yards and a touchdown during his Senior Day this season, putting him over the 1,000-yard mark in his career (1,030 career yards).

Abseck is also the team's primary punt returner and is the holder on all field goal and extra point attempts. As a return man, he had 14 punt returns for 103 yards and four kickoff returns for 66 yards. He was 36th in Division II in punt return yards per attempt (7.4). His 14 punt returns and 103 punt return yards this season both rank second in program history. In addition, his 32 career punt returns and 236 career punt return yards are both a program record.

Dylan Graham – Gr., QB – Honorable Mention All-LSC, LSC All-Academic Team
Graham was on pace to be in consideration for the LSC Offensive Player of the Year award until a season-ending injury early in the sixth game of the season. Graham had 103 completions, 1,370 passing yards, 228.3 passing yards per game, 13 passing touchdowns, and a passing efficiency of 130.4 at the time of his injury.

In UTPB's 41-3 season-opening win over Western New Mexico (Aug. 31), Graham starred in his return to the starting role and completed 31-of-50 passes for 404 yards and three touchdowns. Graham's 31 completions were only three short of his own program record of 34 set on September 24, 2022. In addition, his 404 yards passing ranks third in program history.

Then in a 67-14 win over Adams State (Sept. 14), Graham threw four touchdown passes to four different targets without an interception and was subsequently named the LSC Offensive Player of the Week. Graham finished 15-of-25 passing for 272 yards and helped UTPB produce more than 600 yards of offense. He also had a touchdown pass in each quarter.

Graham ranks second in the UTPB record books in completions (289), passing attempts (514) and passing yards (3,229) in a career.

An MBA-Marketing graduate student with a 4.0 GPA, Graham has been named to the LSC Commissioner's Honor Roll in each of the last five semesters (Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024).

Yemi Oyesanya – Gr., DT – Honorable Mention All-LSC
After reuniting with Coach Kris McCullough this season, Oyesanya played in all 11 games and led the Falcons with 7.5 sacks and 16.0 tackles for loss. Oyesanya is UTPB's new single-season sack leader. He was also fifth on the team with 41.0 total tackles and added one forced fumble.

In his first season at UTPB, Oyesanya led the LSC in tackles for loss and was tied for first in sacks. In addition, the UTPB defense was second in the conference in sacks (151). In Division II, Oyesanaya tied for 12th in tackles for loss per game (1.50) and tied for 24th in sacks per game (0.68).

In his last two games of the season, Oyesanya had a combined 18 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks. He had eight total tackles, six solo tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in a 64-14 victory at Eastern New Mexico (Nov. 9) and then recorded a season-high 10 total tackles to go along with 1.5 sacks and a season-high 3.0 tackles for loss in the regular-season finale against Sul Ross State (Nov. 16).

Austin Williams – Jr., DT – Honorable Mention All-LSC
Williams played in all 11 games, recorded 39.0 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks and one forced fumble, which came in UTPB's regular-season finale at Sul Ross State (Nov. 16) in which he also had a season-high six tackles.

Jalon Rocquemore – Sr., ILB – Honorable Mention All-LSC
Rocquemore was named honorable mention all-conference this season after earning second-team honors in 2023. This season, he started in all 11 games and was second on UTPB in tackles with 70, all while adding 8.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two pass breakups. He was also second on the team with five quarterback hurries.

Rocquemore had four tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and a sack in a 67-14 win over Adams State (Sept. 14). He had four tackles, a first-quarter interception and a sack for 11 yards in the win at Midwestern State (Sept. 28). Rocquemore tied his career-high with 11 tackles in back-to-back games at Central Washington (Oct. 12) and against Western Oregon (Oct. 19).

Dante Heaggans – Gr., CB – Honorable Mention All-LSC
Heaggans played in 10 games, recorded 15 total tackles, had two pass breakups, and one was of two Falcons with a pair of interceptions on the season. Heaggans' two interceptions both came in the redzone in UTPB's 21-7 win at West Texas A&M, a contest in which he also put together a season-best five tackles.

Kendrick Jones – So., NB – Honorable Mention All-LSC
Jones played in all 11 games and recorded 28 total tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. He had at least one tackle in every game and had a career-high five tackles in two games.

Rafael Vargas – Sr., P – Honorable Mention All-LSC
Vargas had 42 punts for the Falcons this season for a total of 1,733 yards (41.26 avg.) with eight landing within the opponents' 20-yard line and four landing for touchbacks. Vargas ranked third in the LSC and 35th in Division II in punting average. Vargas also helped UTPB led the conference and rank 11th in Division II in putting net average (39.3 NET/P).

In addition to punts, Vargas also handled the kickoff duties for the Falcons this season and had 63 kicks for 3,224 yards (51.2 avg.) with 18 landing for touchbacks. Lastly, he was 1-for-2 on field goal attempts making one from 31 yards out.

Vargas was named the LSC Special Teams Player of the Week for the week ending on Sunday, September 29, 2024. Vargas averaged 44 yards on punts, made a 31-yard field goal and handled kickoff duties to fuel a 27-3 road win over Midwestern State. Vargas pinned one of his punts inside the 20-yard line. His field goal was the only score in the fourth quarter and he added an extra point in the third quarter. Of his five kickoffs, two were touchbacks.

One of the bigger bright spots for UTPB in the game against the eventual conference champion, Angelo State (Oct. 5), was the effort from Vargas, who punted eight times for 336 yards (42.0-yard average), had two punts of 50-plus yards, and put three punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

In UTPB's 14-13 road win at No. 9-ranked Central Washington (Oct. 12), Vargas punted five times for 191 yards (38.2 avg.) and a long of 46 yards. In the 64-14 win at Eastern New Mexico (Nov. 9), Vargas punted three times for an average of 58 yards, which was a new career-high, and had two punts of over 50 yards, including a long of 70 yards. Lastly, in UTPB's regular-season finale against Sul Ross State (Nov. 16), Vargas had 11 kickoffs for 577 yards (52.5 avg.) and four touchbacks.

Chrishoun Roberts – Jr., OL – LSC All-Academic Team
Roberts, a management major with a 3.9 GPA, played in eight games this season. He completed his first year as a Falcon after transferring in from Wayne State University. The UTPB offense led the LSC in scoring offense (34.5 PPG), total offense (428.9 YPG) and passing offense (254.0 YPG), and was third in rushing offense (174.9 YPG). In all of Division II, the Falcons ranked 16th in scoring offense, 18th in total offense, 21st in passing offense, 28th in tackles for loss allowed per game (4.64), 31st in rushing offense, and 35th in sacks allowed per game (1.36).

 
UTPB finished its regular-season with a record 7-4 overall and was tied for third place in the Lone Star Conference at 6-3. In addition to having the second-winningest season in program history, the Falcons have now had back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in their history. The Falcons will face the University of Central Missouri Mules in the 2024 Heritage Bowl Powered by Riot on Saturday, December 7, at noon at Community Bank & Trust Stadium at Tiger Field in Corsicana, Texas.

Overall, 145 student-athletes were honored by the all-conference program, which also included honorable mention selections. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches.

The All-Academic Team, selected by vote of the LSC sports information directors, recognizes student-athlete accomplishments in the classroom and on the football field. To be eligible for the All-Academic Team ballot, individuals must maintain a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average and have reached sophomore athletic eligibility.
 
LSC All-Conference Release
LSC Academic All-Conference Release