Academic Excellence Meets Athletic Success
The University of Tennessee at Martin's men's basketball program received the 2025-26 Ohio Valley Conference Team Academic Achievement Award for the second time in four years, underscoring its commitment to scholarly excellence alongside competitive play.
During the 2025-26 season, 11 of the team's 14 eligible players earned spots on the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll, translating to a 78.6% success rate among those who maintained a 3.25 grade point average or higher.
Vladimir Khryapa joined an elite group as the sixth UT Martin men's basketball player to achieve a perfect 4.0 GPA, a distinction that also marks him as the fourth freshman to receive the OVC Academic Medal of Honor.
The squad also tied a school record with 22 victories, positioning the team within the top ten of NCAA Division I men's basketball across four key statistical categories.
In addition to athletic prowess, the program was honored with the OVC Team Sportsmanship Award for the second time in school history, reflecting a culture of integrity on and off the court.
Lamine Niang received recognition as an OVC Community Service Award winner, highlighting the team's dedication to giving back to the local community.
Beyond the basketball roster, 33 UT Martin student-athletes were awarded the OVC Academic Medal of Honor, while 187 participants placed on the conference's Commissioner's Honor Roll, ranking the program second-highest in its history for academic achievers.
The entire athletic department posted a combined grade point average of 3.39 for the 2025-26 academic year, further cementing the university's reputation for balancing rigorous scholarship with competitive sports.
The Ohio Valley Conference presents the Team Academic Achievement Award annually to the institution whose eligible student-athletes achieve the highest percentage of a 3.25 GPA or above, a metric that UT Martin has consistently excelled in.