TYLER, TEXAS — The University of Texas at Tyler has been named the recipient of the 2025-26 Lone Star Conference Academic Excellence Award on the men's side, marking the second time the Patriots have earned the conference's highest academic honor for their men's programs.
The Lone Star Conference announced its annual Academic Excellence Award recipients Monday, with UT Tyler earning the men's award after posting the highest collective academic performance among the conference's men's athletic departments during the 2025-26 academic year.
The honor marks UT Tyler's third all-time Lone Star Conference Academic Excellence Award and second men's award. The Patriots previously captured both the men's and women's awards during the 2020-21 academic year.
"We couldn't be prouder of the effort from our student-athletes in the classroom! This is more evidence of our Patriot Progress, as we have enjoyed a banner year competitively and academically! Our mission is to develop student-athletes into Champions of Character, Champions of Competition, and Champions in their Careers. Academic success is integral to reaching that final goal and I feel blessed to work with coaches and student-athletes who value academic success," UT Tyler Director of Athletics Dr. Sam Ferguson said.
UT Tyler's success in the classroom was highlighted by three men's teams earning LSC Academic Sport Champion honors. Men's soccer, men's indoor track and field and men's outdoor track and field each recorded the highest team GPA in their respective sports among LSC institutions.
The Patriots' men's soccer program posted a 3.558 team GPA, while both indoor and outdoor track and field recorded a 3.702 GPA.
Across the entire UT Tyler men's department, 27 Patriots representing eight men's sports achieved a perfect 4.00 GPA during the combined fall and spring semesters.
The academic success extended across the UT Tyler Athletics department, which led the Lone Star Conference with five Academic Sport Champions in 2025-26. In addition to men's soccer, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field, UT Tyler's women's soccer and softball programs also finished atop their respective sports academically.
Women's soccer recorded a 3.624 GPA, while softball posted a 3.740 GPA to earn its third consecutive LSC Academic Sport Champion honor.
"We are committed to providing an exceptional educational experience that empowers our students to excel both in competition and in the classroom," said UT Tyler President Julie V. Philley, MD. "Earning the conference's highest academic recognition for our men's programs for the second time demonstrates the culture of excellence that defines Patriot athletics."
The Patriots' academic accomplishments capped a historic year for UT Tyler Athletics, which also produced the best finish in program history in the Learfield Directors' Cup standings. UT Tyler finished No. 17 nationally in the final 2025-26 Division II standings and was the fourth-highest ranked athletics department in the country among institutions that do not sponsor football.
On the field, UT Tyler men's soccer finished the 2025 season with an 8-8-3 record and made program history by earning the first Lone Star Conference Tournament victory in program history.
The Patriots will look to build on that momentum as the 2026 season approaches. UT Tyler opens the new campaign on Aug. 27 at Dallas Baptist before returning home for its home opener against Rogers State on Sept. 5. The Patriots will begin LSC play at home on Sept. 23 against DBU.
The Lone Star Conference Academic Excellence Awards, presented annually since 2013-14, recognize the athletic departments with the highest collective men's and women's team GPAs for the academic year. Award winners are determined by ranking team GPAs and points earned in each conference-sponsored sport.
UT Tyler's 2025-26 Academic Excellence Award adds another milestone to a historic year for the Patriots, highlighting the department's continued commitment to excellence both in competition and in the classroom.
