STEPHENVILLE — Tarleton State Men’s Basketball guard Caleb Blackwell was tabbed to the United Athletic Conference All-Conference Team, the conference office announced on Wednesday afternoon.
Blackwell is the first Texan since Freddy Hicks to earn preseason conference honors. Hicks was named to the All-WAC Preseason Team ahead of the 2024-25 season. Hicks also earned the honor ahead of the 2022-23 season. Blackwell becomes the third Texan in the Division I era to earn preseason all-conference honors joining Hicks and Tre Gipson (2021-22). Blackwell earns his first preseason conference award of his collegiate career. As a sophomore he was named to the WJAC All-Conference First Team as a player at South Plains.
“I am very happy to see Caleb selected to the UAC Preseason All-Conference Team,” said head coach Eric Haut. “With the amount of highly-talented teams and players in the UAC this year it is a tremendous honor for him to be recognized by the coaches in our league. Caleb is a young man that works extremely hard, competes at a high level, and brings toughness and leadership to our program on a daily basis. We can’t wait to see him continue to make his mark and help lead this team in the days and months ahead.”
The fifth-year guard enters his first season as a Texan after spending last year at UTEP. During his time with the Miners last season he averaged 10.6 points per game, one of four to average in double figures. He ranked in the top 20 of Conference USA with 81 assists and 2.9 per game. He started 27 of the 28 games that he played in for UTEP. A prolific three-point shooter he made 48 from beyond the arc at a 36.4 percent clip. He scored in double digits in 15 games, including in nine of his last 10. He scored at least 20 points in three games including a season-best 22 points at Sam Houston.
He spent his sophomore season at South Plains College where his standout season recognized him as one of the top junior college players in the country. Blackwell was named to the NJCAA Division I All-American Second Team after leading his team to the NJCAA National Tournament Final Four with a 29-7 record. For his performance in the postseason, he was tabbed to the NJCAA All-Tournament Team. At the end of the regular season, he was named the Region 5 MVP and to both the conference and region first teams. During the season, he registered double figures in 23 of his 33 games and ranked second on the team averaging 13.1 points per game. He scored 20 or more six times including setting his season best at 26, twice. He found his way to South Plains after a pair of seasons at Alabama A&M.
The Buford, Ga., native, enjoyed a very prosperous prep career winning the state championship as a freshman at Burford High School and guiding the program to a pair of regional titles. He spent his senior season at Grayson High School where he also led the squad to a regional championship. At the end of his senior season he was ranked a top 100 player and top 20 point guard in the state of Georgia.
The UAC also released the preseason poll with the Texans picked to finish fourth in the inaugural season of the league. The Texans are the highest-ranked team out of the WAC from last year ahead of both Abilene Christian and UT Arlington. The fourth-ranked slot is the highest conference preseason ranking for the Texans in the Division I era after being slated fifth twice in the first six seasons of being members of the WAC.
The Tarleton State men will open the regular season at home for the first time since 2021 on Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. against Cameron. Early-arriving students will receive free pizza on coach Haut, as well as free long-sleeved t-shirts courtesy of Tarleton State Residence Life. Single game tickets are on sale now as well as season tickets for all of the men’s and women’s home games this season.
Full UAC Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year: Rashaud Marshall, Austin Peay
Preseason All-UAC Team
Noah Bolanga, Abilene Christian
Zyree Collins, Austin Peay
Rashaud Marshall, Austin Peay
Tucker Anderson, Central Arkansas
Ty Robinson, Central Arkansas
Aaron Clark, Little Rock
Bradyn Hubbard, Little Rock
Jah’Likai King, Little Rock
Caleb Blackwell, Tarleton State
Chas Lewless, West Georgia
Preseason UAC Coaches Poll
1. Central Arkansas (4)
2. Austin Peay (2)
3. Little Rock (3)
4. Tarleton State
5. UT Arlington
6. EKU
7. Abilene Christian
T8. North Alabama
T8. West Georgia
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