MARTIN, Tenn. – Jeremy Shulman has announced his first signing as University of Tennessee at Martin head men’s basketball coach as the Skyhawks have inked NCAA Division I redshirt sophomore transfer Lamine Niang.
Niang is a 6-10, 225-pound forward who has spent the last two seasons under head coaches Trent Johnson and Andy Newman at Cal State Northridge, members of the Big West Conference.
“We are ecstatic to welcome Lamine to the Skyhawk family,” said Shulman, who was hired as UT Martin’s head coach on March 27. “Lamine is very talented but is an even better person. The UT Martin and Martin community will absolutely love him.”
A Thies, Senegal native who came to the United States as a freshman in high school, Niang redshirted but was part of a Matador program that won 19 games – including a victory over UCLA – in 2023-24. He played in 18 games as a true freshman in 2022-23, posting 18 points, 26 rebounds, seven blocked shots, four assists and a steal in 109 minutes of playing time.
As a freshman, Niang set career-highs across the board with six points, seven rebounds and 17 minutes played against Whittier on Dec. 4. He also equaled a career-best with seven rebounds while swatting away a pair of shots – one of two multi-block performances on the season – against UC Santa Barbara on Feb. 4. He handed out a career-high three assists in his collegiate debut on Nov. 7 against La Sierra.
Niang concluded his successful high school career under head coach Christian Dalmau at Central Pointe Christian Academy, located in Kissimmee, Fla. He played two seasons at CPCA, helping the White Tigers advance to the Florida state championship Final Four and Grind Sessions national championship Elite 8 as a senior. His junior season included a 30-win campaign and No. 20 national ranking. He began his prep career at Fairmont Prep in Anaheim, Calif.
