Tristan Exline

Position:
Linebacker
Height:
6-1
Weight:
215
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
China Springs, Texas
High School:
China Springs
Prev School:
UT Permian Basin

Awards & Honors
Cliff Harris Award Finalist (2025)
Harlon Hill Trophy Candidate (2025)
First Team Associated Press All-American (2025)
First Team D2CCA All-American (2025)
Second Team AFCA All-American (2025)
Don Hansen Second Team All-American (2025)
Don Hansen Honorable Mention All-America (2024)
D2Football.com Elite 100 – Defensive Player of the Year and First Team (2025)
D2Football.com Elite 100 Team (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)
Lone Star Conference Athletic Performance All-Conference Team (2024-25)

2025 (at UT Permian Basin)
Played and started all 14 games … team captain … 2025 Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Year … First Team Associated Press All-American … Cliff Harris Award finalist … recorded 143 tackles, the second-most in a season in program history and a league-high for the 2025 season, and broke the UTPB single-season record with 19.5 tackles for loss … had 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception … finished his three-year career at UTPB with 272 tackles, including 39.0 for loss, and 12 sacks … also had three interceptions, four forced fumbles and eight passes defended.

2024 (at UT Permian Basin)
Started all 12 games … LSC Co-Linebacker of the Year and First Team All-LSC … honorable mention All-American … led the Falcons with 104 tackles, finishing second on the team with 16.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks … also had an interception, a forced fumble, four quarterback hurries and three pass breakups … ranked second in conference in tackles for loss, third in sacks and fifth in tackles … had four double-digit tackle games, including a 15-tackle game against Texas A&M-Kingsville.

2023 (at UT Permian Basin)
Played in 11 games, finishing with 25 tackles, including three for a loss … also forced a fumble … notched six tackles in NCAA Division II Playoffs against Bemidji State … had first career interception against Western New Mexico.

High School
Prepped at China Spring High School where he was unanimous District MVP, First Team Super Centex, first team all-state and state champion MVP.