ODESSA, Texas (December 17, 2025) – Junior linebacker Tristan Exline of The University of Texas Permian Basin football team is a 2025 First-Team Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-American and a Second-Team American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA) All-American.

Exline joins linebackers Chris Hoad (2019) and Hayden Kelly (2023) as the only D2CCA First-Team All-America selections in the 10-year history of UTPB football. Exline was one of four linebackers named first-team defense, being joined by Clark Griffin (Harding), Domonique Davis (Central State) and Landon Boss (Emporia State). He was also the only player from the Lone Star Conference to be named to the first-team.

Exline is also the second AFCA All-American in UTPB history and is the first since Hoad also earned second-team honors in 2019.

Exline led the UTPB defense with 143 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss that include 5.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles while adding one interception. In all of NCAA Division II, he ranked 10th in solo tackles per game (5.71), 13th in total tackles per game (10.2) and 21st in tackles for loss per game (1.39).

With his latest tackle for loss in the Falcons' second-round playoff win at Western Colorado (Nov. 29), Exline broke the UTPB record for tackles for loss in a single season (19.5). He also broke the Falcons' single-season record for solo tackles (80) and finished the year second in the UTPB record books in total tackles (143) and was third in assisted tackles (63). For his career, Exline ranks third in UTPB history in total tackles (272), assisted tackles (116) and forced fumbles (4), and is fourth in solo tackles (156), tackles for loss (39.0) and sacks (12.0).

This year, Exline helped the No. 10 Falcons earn the highest national ranking in program history, make the NCAA Division II playoffs for the second time in program history, earn the first two playoff wins in program history and advance to the Super Region Final, and set a new program record for wins in one season (11).

This season, Exline was named the Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Year (J.V. Sikes Award), was the LSC Linebacker of the Year for the second year in a row, was a two-time LSC Defensive Player of the Week and a two-time D2Football.com National Defensive Player of the Week, and was the third Falcon in program history to be named First-Team D2CCA All-Super Region Four Team. He is the first LSC Defensive Player of the Year in program history and is just the second Falcon to be named a two-time LSC Linebacker of the Year (Chris Hoad, 2018-2019).