ODESSA, Texas (October 7, 2024) – Thanks to the generosity and support of Edgardo Madrid & Associates, The University of Texas Permian Basin Athletics Department has announced Cassandra Ramirez (Women’s Soccer) and Tristan Exline (Football) as the September Student-Athletes of the Month.
Thanks to the generous sponsorship by Edgardo Madrid & Associates, UTPB Athletics will be recognizing one male and one female student-athlete each month as Student-Athletes of the Month. At the end of the 2024-25 athletics season, one male and one female student-athlete will be selected as UTPB’s Student-Athletes of the Year, with each winner receiving a scholarship for the following academic year.
Ramirez is a redshirt sophomore forward from Odessa, Texas. She led the Falcons women’s soccer team with three goals scored and seven points during the first month of the season. In UTPB’s home opener, Ramirez scored just 32 seconds in and helped propel the Falcons to the 2-0 victory over Texas Wesleyan University during Senior Day. Starting with her goal during the home opener, Ramirez recorded at least one point in four straight matches and had a goal in three of those four matches.
After the first month of the season, Ramirez was tied for seventh in the Lone Star Conference in goals per game (.500), ranked eighth in points per game (1.17), and was tied for ninth in shots per game (2.50).
Head Women’s Soccer Coach Carla Tejas said that Ramirez’s impact on the team goes beyond the field. “Cassie is a local player from Odessa who represents the heart and culture of UTPB women’s soccer and has the desire to help us achieve our goals. Her family goes above and beyond in supporting our program in many ways.”
Exline is a sophomore linebacker from China Spring, Texas. He led the Falcons football team 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 with 3.5 sacks and added an interception. Exline also led the Lone Star Conference in tackles for loss and ranked fifth in sacks and sixth in tackles. In all of NCAA Division II, Exline was 25th in tackles for loss per game (1.8) and was tied for seven in solo tackles per game (5.0).
It was a great start to the season for Exline, who was named the Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week after his “Week 0” performance in the Falcons’ 41-3 home victory over Western New Mexico University. Exline had two sacks to lead a unit that did not allow a touchdown and surrendered just 118 yards of total offense. Exline also had four tackles – two solo and 2.5 for a loss of eight yards – to help UTPB hold WNMU to just 1-for-12 on third-down conversions. The defending LSC champions shut out WNMU in the second half.
Two weeks later in UTPB’s 67-14 home win over Adams State University, Exline was once again dominating on defense and finished with eight total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception. The following week, Exline finished with 15 total tackles and 11 solo tackles, and had 4.0 tackles for loss against Texas A&M-Kingsville. In the Falcons’ final game of September, Exline once again led the defense as he finished with eight total tackles and six solo tackles and helped UTPB get back into the win column with a 27-3 road win at Midwestern State University.
