Youthful Skyhawks Ready For 2025-26 Campaign

MARTIN, Tenn. – A healthy blend of talented returners and an eager group of newcomers look to lead the University of Tennessee at Martin men's hoops squad on a deep run this season as the Skyhawks enter Year Two of the Jeremy Shulman Era in 2025-26.

One year after not receiving a single minute of playing time from any returner, UT Martin brings back seven total players (including a redshirt freshman). Five of those returners logged major minutes last season as that group combined to start 70 contests in 2024-25. That list includes Afan Trnka (OVC "Player to Watch" following a season where he scored in double digits 14 times and dished out a team-high 97 assists), Lamine Niang (OVC "Player to Watch" after posting team-highs of 58.4 percent shooting and 26 blocks), Andrija Bukumirović (seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference with 2.2 offensive rebounds per game in league play), Filip Radaković (19 consecutive games started from Dec. 15 through Feb. 20) and AJ Hopkins (three-point specialist who made nine starts).

Those five join redshirt freshman Pedro Santos (6-7 guard who is coming off a high-scoring summer for Team Portugal at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket event) and Lucas Williams (walk-on who appeared in seven games last season) as Skyhawk returnees who were part of the most one-possession or overtime games (14) in the NCAA Division I ranks a year ago. That included eight losses (seven coming in OVC play) by one point or in overtime.

"We learned about adversity last season and how to toughen up," Shulman said. "If we're a little more connected last season, maybe we win some of those close games. It's a different mentality in Year Two. Last year, it was unbridled excitement and then reality set in that this is hard – everybody is good at this level, everybody has talent and has great coaching staffs. Our returners have seen that and been through the grind. Of course, we're still extremely excited but we've had more of a quiet confidence and a workman-like mentality this year."

A pair of NCAA Division I transfers will look to make an immediate impact for UT Martin in 2025-26. Luca Colceag – one of just two seniors on the squad alongside Hopkins – was an all-league forward for Shulman at Eastern Florida State College and won a pair of Big Sky Conference championships at Northern Colorado and Montana State. Redshirt sophomore combo guard Dragos Lungu started 15 games in a season-and-a-half under head coach Steve Lavin at San Diego and was named Most Valuable Player of the FIBA U20 EuroBasket Division B event in the summer of 2024.

Two more walk-ons in Charlie King (USCAA first team All-American honors at Southeastern Illinois College) and Will Hopkins (brother of AJ who played 24 games at NCAA Division III Colorado College last season) add collegiate experience to the Skyhawks in 2025-26.

The remainer of the UT Martin roster are true freshmen as eight rookies are set to make their collegiate debuts. Ama Sow (averaged 20.5 points, 17.5 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game as a senior), Ty Price (national top-40 point guard in his class who poured in 3,318 points in his prep career), Damien King (22.3 points per contest during his senior season) all garnered all-state accolades at the high school level. James Bass is the fourth domestic prep recruit as he is rangy, high-motor forward who collected 30 points and MVP honors in the Battle of the Valley All-Star Game held annually in California.

A 6-9, 220-pound forward, Matas Deniusas represented Lithuania at the 2025 FIBA U18 EuroBasket event and looks to boost the Skyhawk frontcourt this season. Filip Petkovski is a high-IQ point guard who helped Slovenia to a bronze medal at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup this summer.

Vladimir Khryapa (Russia native who played at Golden State Prep in Napa, Calif.) and Enrique Moya (played last season in a Spain U19 league) joined UT Martin late in the summer as walk-ons. Khryapa projects to be a factor in the Skyhawk rotation while Moya has provided the squad with depth at the point guard slot.

"We wanted to really mix old and young this year," Shulman said. "Adding eight freshmen was all by design – we didn't want to take any shortcuts and wanted to bring in younger guys who can hopefully help us win this year but also build a foundation so we're not just chasing the transfer portal every year and having to redo everything. We want to build something sustainable and make this a long-term solution for our program – I love where we're going."

The upward direction of the program led to an offseason contract extension for Shulman, who will now lead UT Martin through at least the 2030-31 season. Shulman believes the current Skyhawks – 13 of which are underclassmen – have what it takes to contend for an OVC crown.

"This group is so enjoyable to coach," Shulman said. "We have great depth – we have 15 guys that are all really good and are making it tough on me to try to figure out who to play. I believe in this group because they have the challenges ahead of them and I am confident they're going to collectively bond together to find the answers. Early in the preseason I told the guys to just have fun, go get better and let's get lost in the process. It's been very refreshing."

Youthful Skyhawks Ready For 2025-26 Campaign

Players Mentioned

James Bass

Andrija Bukumirović

Luca Colceag

Matas Deniusas

AJ Hopkins

Will Hopkins

Vladimir Khryapa

Charlie King

Damien King

Dragos Lungu

Enrique Moya

Lamine Niang

Filip Petkovski

Ty Price

Filip Radaković

Pedro Santos

Ama Sow

Afan Trnka

Lucas Williams

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