Skip To Main Content

UTPB Athletics

Scoreboard desktop

The university of texas permian basin

Scoreboard tablet

2025 Football Roster

1 Tristan Exline

  • Position Linebacker
  • Height 6-1
  • Weight 215
  • Class Junior
  • Hometown China Spring, Texas
  • Highschool China Spring

Biography

Awards:
  • Second-Team AFCA All-America Football Team (Defense) (2025)
  • First-Team Associated Press All-America Football Team (Defense) (2025)
  • First-Team D2CCA All-America Football Team (Defense) (2025)
  • Don Hansen Second Team All-America Team (Defense) (2025)
  • Don Hansen Honorable Mention All-America Team (2024)
  • D2Football.com Elite 100 Team (Defensive Player of the Year) (2025)
  • D2Football.com Elite 100 Team (First Team – Defense) (2025)
  • D2Football.com Elite 100 Team (Squad Defense) (2024)
  • Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas Non-FBS Team Defensive Player of the Year (2025)
  • Dave Campbell's Texas Football First-Team All-Texas Non-FBS Team (2025)
  • Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas Non-FBS Team (2024)
  • First-Team D2CCA All-Super Region Four Team (Defense) (2025)
  • Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Year (J.V. Sikes Award) (2025)
  • 2X Lone Star Conference Linebacker of the Year (2024, 2025)
  • 2X First-Team All-Lone Star Conference Defense (ILB) (2024, 2025)
  • 2X D2Football.com National Defensive Player of the Week (9/2/2025, 11/11/2025)
  • 3X LSC Defensive Player of the Week (9/2/2024, 9/1/2025, 11/10/2025)
  • Edgardo Madrid & Associates Student-Athlete of the Month (September 2024)
  • Lone Star Conference Athletic Performance All-Conference Team (2024-25)
2025 (Junior):
Team Captain... Selected as the 2025 Lone Star Conference Football Preseason Defensive Player of the Year... Named to the 2025 LSC Preseason Players to Watch list for defense and to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List (First Team – Defense)... Named a First-Team Associated Press All-American after an outstanding 2025 junior season in which he finished 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. The China Spring, Texas, native finished his three-year Falcon career with 272 tackles, the third-most in program history. Exline becomes the third Falcon recognized as an AP All-American and is just the second First-Team selection in program history. This was Exline's fourth All-American honor of the season and second First-Team All-American recognition... He was also named 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... Exline is the second Falcon 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... Also this season, Exline was named the LSC 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 was just the second Falcon to be named a two-time LSC Linebacker of the Year... Exline was named to the First-Team All-Texas Non-FBS team and was the Defensive Player of the Year. Exline has been named to the Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas Non-FBS team in each of the last two years. He is the second-ever Falcon to be named an All-Texas Non-FBS Player of the Year... Named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Team for the 2025 season. Exline was named the Defensive Player of the Year and was a First-Team defensive selection. Exline has been named to the Elite 100 Squad Team in each of the last two years, is the first Falcon to be named to the team twice in a career, and is the first national player of the year in program history. It was Exline's third Defensive Player of the Year award of the season, and first on the national level, after also earning Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Year (J.V. Sikes Award) and All-Texas Non-FBS Defensive Player 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, the second player in program history to reach that stage in the voting... Started in all 14 games during season (mike linebacker) and reached 100-plus tackles during the regular season for the first time in his career... Led the UTPB defense with 143 total tackles, 80 solo tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss that include 5.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles while adding one interception... Led the Falcons in tackles for the second year in a row... Totaled 104 tackles during the regular season, matching his total numbers of tackles in 12 games from a year ago... After finishing the regular season second in the LSC in tackles, just one tackle behind the leader, he would ultimately lead the conference in tackles at the conclusion of the playoffs... Also led the conference in tackles per game (10.2) and tackles for loss... As a team, the UTPB defense was first in the conference in total yards allowed per game (304.1 ypg), first in passing yards allowed per game (151.5 ypg), and was second in points allowed per game (19.1 ppg)... 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)... Began his junior campaign with a dominating performance in UTPB's season-opening win over No. 5 Central Oklahoma, finishing with nine tackles, a sack, an interception and two quarterback hurries against the Bronchos. After UTPB took a two-touchdown lead in the third quarter, the next UCO possession ended with an interception by Exline in Falcon territory, who returned it 15 yards to help set up a field goal and make it a three-score game going into the fourth quarter. In the end, Exline led a UTPB defense that limited a Central Oklahoma team that led the nation in yards per game last season and was the defending MIAA champions to just 14 points. Exline was named both the LSC Defensive Player of the Week and the D2Football.com National Defensive Player of the Week for his effort against UCO... Later on in the season, Exline had 20 tackles – eight solo and six for a loss of 38 yards – two forced fumbles and one sack to lead the Falcons to a win against the triple-option attack of Eastern New Mexico. His six tackles for loss were the most in the LSC this season. He also had a 23-yard reception on a fake punt to set up UTPB's second touchdown of the game against the Greyhounds. Exline had 11 tackles in the first quarter alone, and his second forced fumble came late in the second quarter and led to a touchdown to make it 40-7 at halftime. His total of 20 tackles in a game was the top mark in a single game in the LSC this season. Following the win, Exline was named both the LSC Defensive Player of the Week and the D2Football.com National Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season... In the Falcons’ regular-season finale, Exline once again led the way defensively with 10 tackles as UTPB defeated Sul Ross State. Exline also had a one-yard rushing touchdown on a wildcat formation to make it 29-7 in the second quarter against the Lobos... Entering the postseason, Exline proceeded to lead all players with 11 total tackles and eight solo tackles as No. 10-ranked UTPB earned its first playoff win in program history with a 37-24 victory at No. 4-ranked and No. 3-seeded Colorado State Pueblo... Exline then tied for the team lead with eight tackles and added a sack as No. 10 UTPB defeated No. 15 Western Colorado 21-15 in the second round of the playoffs... Last but not least, Exline finished with 20 total tackles for the second time on the season as No. 10 UTPB's historic season came to an end in the 2025 NCAA Division II Football Championship Super Region 4 Final with a 34-28 loss at No. 2 Harding... With his latest tackle for loss in the Falcons' second-round playoff win at Western Colorado, 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)... Exline also became just the fifth player in program history to have 200 career tackles.

2024 (Sophomore):
Was UTPB's male nominee for the 2025 Lone Star Conference Athlete of the Year award... Was named the LSC Co-Linebacker of the Year and First-Team All-LSC... Earned a spot on the D2Football.com Elite 100 Squad Team, the 2024 Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas Non-FBS team, and the 2024 Don Hansen NCAA Division II Honorable Mention All-America team... Also named to the 2025 Lone Star Conference Athletic Performance All-Conference Team... Started all 12 games during the season... Led the Falcons with 104 total tackles, including 60 solo tackles, and was second with 16.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks... Throughout 12 total games, he reached at least eight tackles nine times and had at least two tackles for loss in five games... Also added one interception one forced fumble, four quarterback hurries and three pass breakups... Ranked second in the LSC in tackles for loss, was third in sacks, and ranked fifth in total tackles and sixth in tackles per game (8.7)... As a team, the UTPB defense was second in the conference in sacks (166) this season... Was tied for 22nd in NCAA Division II in solo tackles per game (5.0) and ranked 32nd nationally in total tackles per game (8.7)... Had four tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss of eight yards, and 2.0 sacks in UTPB's 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)... Was named UTPB's 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)... Then recorded 14 total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in UTPB's regular-season finale at Sul Ross State (Nov. 16). It was his fourth game this season and third game in a row with double-digit tackles... Lastly, in UTPB's heartbreaking 39-37 double overtime loss against No. 25 Central Missouri in the 2024 Heritage Bowl (Dec. 7), Exline recorded eight total tackles and two sacks... Was also named to the Fall 2024 Lone Star Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll.

2023 (First-Year):
Played in 11 games... Had 16 solo tackles with nine assists for 25 total tackles, had three tackles for a loss, and forced a fumble... Had a season-high six tackles in the NCAA Playoff game against Bemidji State (Nov. 18)... Picked off a pass, returning it 15 yards vs. Western New Mexico (Nov. 4).

Statistics

Season:
2025

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 45

    2023Freshman

    Linebacker
    6'1" 205 lbs
    45
  • 4

    2024Sophomore

    Linebacker
    6'1" 215 lbs
    4
  • 1

    2025Junior

    Linebacker
    6'1" 215 lbs
    1