BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Along with earning first team all-conference honors last week, University of Tennessee at Martin graduate linebacker Tevin Shipp was rewarded for his work in the classroom by being named to the 2024 Big South-OVC Football Association All-Academic Team.
Each school nominated one individual, with at least a 3.0 GPA, for inclusion on the All-Academic Team. To be considered for Scholar-Athlete of the Year, which was voted on by the Association communications directors, the nominees had to have at least a 3.30 GPA.
A native of Smyrna, Tenn., Shipp will leave UT Martin with two degrees and four conference championships to his name. The linebacker graduated with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies back in the winter of 2022 before completing his Master’s degree in sport coaching and performance earlier this summer. Over the course of his collegiate career, he boasted a 3.34 grade point average and earned six Athletic Director’s Honor Roll selections.
On the field, Shipp grew from a walk-on to a full scholarship player and eventually a team captain for the Skyhawks. During his tenure the squad has won a share of four consecutive conference titles, earned two postseason bids to the FCS playoffs and has been a part of both postseason victories in the program’s FCS history. For his career, he has tallied 194 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 16 pass breakups, four interceptions and a pair of forced fumbles while being a part of 44 victories since 2019.
2024 BIG SOUTH-OVC ALL ACADEMIC TEAM
Trayson Fowler, DB, Grad., Charleston Southern
Pierce Holley, QB, Grad., Eastern Illinois
Cole Hoskyns, TE, Sr., Gardner-Webb
Abe Haerr, TE, Jr., Lindenwood
Paxton DeLaurent, QB, Sr., Southeast Missouri
Eriq George, DL, So., Tennessee State
Tim Coutras, DB, Sr., Tennessee Tech
Tevin Shipp, LB, Grad., UT Martin
Ryan Merklinger, OL, Sr., Western Illinois
Trayson Fowler, DB, Grad., Charleston Southern
Pierce Holley, QB, Grad., Eastern Illinois
Cole Hoskyns, TE, Sr., Gardner-Webb
Abe Haerr, TE, Jr., Lindenwood
Paxton DeLaurent, QB, Sr., Southeast Missouri
Eriq George, DL, So., Tennessee State
Tim Coutras, DB, Sr., Tennessee Tech
Tevin Shipp, LB, Grad., UT Martin
Ryan Merklinger, OL, Sr., Western Illinois
2024 Big South-OVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Paxton DeLaurent, Southeast Missouri
