ODESSA, Texas (March 24, 2026) – Kyle McElroy and Tash Lunday of The University of Texas Permian Basin men's basketball team were named to the 2025-26 Academic All-District® Team, selected by College Sports Communicators. McEloy and Lunday were both team captains and were the only two players to start in all 28 games this season for the Falcons.

Kyle McElroy is a senior power forward from Chicago, Illinois. He is majoring in computer science (3.62 GPA). McElroy was a defensive specialist who despite scoring just 3.3 points per game, was first on the team in field goal percentage (53.6 percent) and was second in total rebounds (148), defensive rebounds (102) and blocks (10). He ranked top-20 in the LSC in offensive rebounds (46) and was top-30 in defensive rebounds and total rebounds. Academically, McElroy was named to the Fall 2025 Lone Star Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll in his first semester at UTPB. He was also named to the NJCAA All-Academic Second Team (3.80 – 3.99 GPA) while at Cloud County Community College (2022-24).

Tash Lunday is a graduate student power forward from Flandreau, South Dakota. He is working on his Master's degree in kinesiology (4.00 GPA) at UTPB after graduating with his Bachelor's degree in exercise science focused on Pre-Physical Therapy (3.64 GPA) from Mount Marty University (2022-25). Lunday was named Third-Team All-Lone Star Conference this season for the Falcons. He led the team in points (17.0 ppg), total rebounds (8.3 rpg), defensive rebounds (5.0 drpg), offensive rebounds (3.3 orpg), made field goals (149), made free throws (157), free throw percentage (84.4) and 3-point field goal percentage (42.3). Earlier this year he was named to the 2025-26 LSC Preseason Players to Watch list and was named UTPB's Men's Student-Athlete of the Month for December. He recorded eight double-doubles on the season, including season-highs of 29 points and 17 rebounds (T4th most in the LSC this season) in a 103-93 double-overtime, neutral-site win vs. MSU Denver (Nov. 29). He scored over 20 points nine times and recorded five 20-point double-doubles. He also made at least 10 free throws in a game six times and had four games in which he pulled down at least 13 rebounds. He was fifth in the LSC in total points and third in total rebounds. He was also second in the conference in made free throws and was fifth in free throw percentage, ninth in field goal percentage and 10th in made field goals. Previously, Lunday was a two-time Second-Team All-Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) selection in 2022-23 and 2024-25 at Mount Marty. Academically, Lunday was named to the Fall 2025 LSC Commissioner's Honor Roll (4.0 GPA) in his first semester at UTPB.

UTPB Head Men's Basketball Coach Kyle Tolin said, "I am proud of both of these guys. They are exactly what you want in student-athletes. They are both very good in the classroom and were guys who you could count on to show up and be consistent every day."

The 2025-26 Academic All-District® Men's Basketball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. To be eligible for CSC Academic All-District, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher and must be a standout in competition. Eligible nominees must compete in 90 percent of the institution's games played OR must start in at least 66 percent of the institution's games.

In addition, Lunday was selected as a CSC Academic All-America® finalist. Finalists are denoted with an asterisk and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced April 14, 2026.