ODESSA, Texas (January 19, 2025) – Former UT Permian Basin linebacker Tristan Exline has been announced as a finalist for the 2025 Cliff Harris Award. Exline is one of 18 finalists selected from NCAA Division II. The winner will be announced Monday, January 19.

The award is presented annually to the nation's top small college defensive player representing more than 5,000 defensive players from almost 500 NCAA Division II, Division III, and NAIA colleges and universities. The award is named in honor of Cliff Harris, a former Ouachita Baptist University standout who went on to play in five Super Bowls and six Pro Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys.

Exline finished his junior season with 143 tackles, the second-most in one season in program history, and broke the UTPB single-season record with 19.5 tackles for loss. He also added 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception, and also broke the Falcons' single-season record for solo tackles (80). The China Spring, Texas, native finished his three-year Falcon career with 272 tackles, the third-most in program history.

Exline earned four All-American honors this season, being named a First-Team Associated Press All-American, a Second-Team Don Hansen All-American, a First-Team Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-American, and a Second-Team American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA) All-American. He is the second player in program history to be named an Associated Press All-American, a Don Hansen All-American, a D2CCA All-American and an AFCA All-American all in the same season.

Exline also earned three Defensive Player of the Year awards this season, being named the D2Football.com Elite 100 Team Defensive Player of the Year (first national player of the year award in program history), the Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas Non-FBS Team Defensive Player of the Year, and the Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Year (J.V. Sikes Award).

Also this season, Exline was named the Lone Star Conference 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 was just the second Falcon to be named a two-time LSC Linebacker of the Year. Following the conclusion of the regular season, Exline was named as one of 36 initial nominees for the 2025 Harlon Hill Trophy (Division II College Football Player of the Year), becoming the fourth Falcon to be nominated for the award. He was later announced as an official "Harlon Hill Candidate" after finishing in the top-six in regional voting from Super Region Four, becoming only the second player in program history to reach that stage in the voting.

As a team, UTPB made the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the second time in program history and for the second time in the last three seasons, and advanced to the Super Region Final (NCAA Quarterfinals) for the first time in program history. UTPB finished the season 11-3 overall, setting a program record for wins in a single season while also earning the first two playoff wins in program history. Following the conclusion of the season, UTPB was ranked as the No. 3 team in the country in the D2Football.com Poll, setting new program record for the highest national ranking in program history, and was ranked No. 5 in the final AFCA poll. The Falcons finished the year 4-2 against nationally-ranked opponents (all top-15), and were the only team in the country with three wins over teams ranked in the top-five.