University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Sign MVC Player of the Year Tyler Lundblade
April 02, 2026 | Men's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – University of Tennessee head men's basketball coach Rick Barnes announced Thursday the addition of Tyler Lundblade.
The 2025-26 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year at Belmont, Lundblade will join the Volunteers as a sixth-year guard with one season of eligibility remaining.
"We are thrilled to start our portal class with Tyler, who is both an exceptional player and an impressive young man," Barnes said. "There is no doubt Tyler is one of the very best shooters at the college level and he proved that in one of the nation's premier conferences. He can score in a variety of ways, whether that is a catch-and-shoot, dribble-handoff or off-the-dribble situation. Tyler has consistently been a part of winning teams and he brings a great deal of experience, as well as a tireless work ethic, with him to Rocky Top."Â
Lundblade is coming off a sensational campaign at Belmont, where he led the team to a 26-6 record that featured a 16-4 mark in league play to claim the outright MVC regular season crown. The First Team All-MVC pick started all 32 games for the Bruins, posting a team-high 15.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in a conference-best 34.3 minutes per game.
One of the finest shooters in the country, Lundblade registered a 43.0 percent ledger from the field, a 40.6 percent figure from beyond the arc and a dazzling 93.4 percent clip (85-of-91) at the line. The latter mark led all Division I players this season, while his 3-point figure ranked No. 37 overall and second in the MVC.
Additionally, Lundblade finished sixth nationally with 3.59 made 3-pointers per game and ninth in the country with 115 total makes. Both marks paced the MVC, with the latter fifth-best in league history and—breaking the mark he set one year prior—the top figure ever at Belmont.
The 6-foot-5, 195-pounder from Dallas scored in double figures 29 times in 32 outings last year, tallying fewer than eight points just once. He had 15-plus points on 18 occasions, with 21-plus in seven and a high of 31 in a Feb. 12 win over Northern Iowa.
Lundblade hit seven 3-pointers in that game, his third such instance in 2025-26 to tie for co-fourth nationally. His 25 outings with at least three long-range makes tied Nebraska's Pryce Sandfort for second in Division I.
In 2024-25, his first year at Belmont, Lundblade put up 12.4 points and 2.0 rebounds in 26.7 minutes per game, making 23 starts across 33 appearances. He shot 49.2 percent from the field, a national-best 48.1 percent beyond the arc and 94.4 percent (51-of-54) at the line.
Along with leading the country in 3-point percentage, Lundblade's 3.15 made 3-pointers per game put him No. 23 overall and atop the MVC. His 104 total makes ranked No. 18 in Division I and second in the conference.
Lundblade scored double-digit points in 20 games that year, with 15-plus in 11, 21-plus in five and 25-plus thrice. He hit multiple 3-pointers 26 times, including placing co-seventh nationally with six-plus in five outings, co-fourth with seven-plus in three contests and co-second with eight-plus twice. He went 9-of-15 from deep in a Feb. 8 victory against Missouri State.
Before transferring to Belmont, Lundblade one season (2021-22) at SMU and then two (2022-24) at TCU. He took a redshirt year in his lone campaign as a Mustang and earned a medical redshirt his final year as a Horned Frog. He initially walked on at each of his three prior institutions, before earning a scholarship at all of them.
Lundblade appeared in 15 games at TCU, nine in 2022-23 and six the following year before his season came to an early end. He helped the Horned Frogs make the NCAA Tournament in both campaigns, their third time—alongside 2021-22/2022-23 and 1951-52/1952-53—ever making consecutive appearances.
Overall, Lundblade has averaged 11.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 25.4 minutes per game across his superb career. He owns a 45.2 percent mark from the field, a 43.5 percent tally beyond the arc and a 93.3 percent figure at the line as a collegian, along with several academic plaudits.
A 2021 McDonald's All-American Game nominee and, per both 247Sports and ESPN, a three-star recruit, Lundblade spent his senior year at Greensboro Day School in Greensboro, N.C. There, he was named an all-conference honoree after helping the team to a 24-6 record.
Prior to that, Lundblade attended Grapevine Faith Christian School in Grapevine, Texas, where he averaged 22.7 points per game across his three-year career. As a senior, he posted 28.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, en route to the TAPPS District 1-5A MVP and a 5A All-State nods. He also made the All-State Tournament Team following a run to the 5A state semifinals.
The Volunteers have nine prior letter winners from Texas, including two-time team captain Brandon Crump (2001-05). Tennessee had three Lone Star State natives on the 2025-26 roster in Amaree Abram, Campbell Duncan and Gavin Paull.
Lundblade's older brother, Brad, spent four years as an NFL center, earning stints with the Seattle Seahawks, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers and New York Jets from 2018-21. His father, Kirk, played basketball at SMU from 1980-84, aiding the team to its first NCAA Tournament berth in 17 years during a 25-win senior campaign.
Per 247Sports, Lundblade is the No. 17 transfer prospect in the country, including the third-best at the shooting guard position. Both 247Sports and Rivals rate him as a four-star portal recruit.
Lundblade is the first member of Tennessee's transfer class in 2026, as well as the fourth newcomer set to join the program for next season. He follows high school signees Marquis Clark, Manny Green and Ralph Scott.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
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The 2025-26 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year at Belmont, Lundblade will join the Volunteers as a sixth-year guard with one season of eligibility remaining.
"We are thrilled to start our portal class with Tyler, who is both an exceptional player and an impressive young man," Barnes said. "There is no doubt Tyler is one of the very best shooters at the college level and he proved that in one of the nation's premier conferences. He can score in a variety of ways, whether that is a catch-and-shoot, dribble-handoff or off-the-dribble situation. Tyler has consistently been a part of winning teams and he brings a great deal of experience, as well as a tireless work ethic, with him to Rocky Top."Â
Lundblade is coming off a sensational campaign at Belmont, where he led the team to a 26-6 record that featured a 16-4 mark in league play to claim the outright MVC regular season crown. The First Team All-MVC pick started all 32 games for the Bruins, posting a team-high 15.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in a conference-best 34.3 minutes per game.
One of the finest shooters in the country, Lundblade registered a 43.0 percent ledger from the field, a 40.6 percent figure from beyond the arc and a dazzling 93.4 percent clip (85-of-91) at the line. The latter mark led all Division I players this season, while his 3-point figure ranked No. 37 overall and second in the MVC.
Additionally, Lundblade finished sixth nationally with 3.59 made 3-pointers per game and ninth in the country with 115 total makes. Both marks paced the MVC, with the latter fifth-best in league history and—breaking the mark he set one year prior—the top figure ever at Belmont.
The 6-foot-5, 195-pounder from Dallas scored in double figures 29 times in 32 outings last year, tallying fewer than eight points just once. He had 15-plus points on 18 occasions, with 21-plus in seven and a high of 31 in a Feb. 12 win over Northern Iowa.
Lundblade hit seven 3-pointers in that game, his third such instance in 2025-26 to tie for co-fourth nationally. His 25 outings with at least three long-range makes tied Nebraska's Pryce Sandfort for second in Division I.
In 2024-25, his first year at Belmont, Lundblade put up 12.4 points and 2.0 rebounds in 26.7 minutes per game, making 23 starts across 33 appearances. He shot 49.2 percent from the field, a national-best 48.1 percent beyond the arc and 94.4 percent (51-of-54) at the line.
Along with leading the country in 3-point percentage, Lundblade's 3.15 made 3-pointers per game put him No. 23 overall and atop the MVC. His 104 total makes ranked No. 18 in Division I and second in the conference.
Lundblade scored double-digit points in 20 games that year, with 15-plus in 11, 21-plus in five and 25-plus thrice. He hit multiple 3-pointers 26 times, including placing co-seventh nationally with six-plus in five outings, co-fourth with seven-plus in three contests and co-second with eight-plus twice. He went 9-of-15 from deep in a Feb. 8 victory against Missouri State.
Before transferring to Belmont, Lundblade one season (2021-22) at SMU and then two (2022-24) at TCU. He took a redshirt year in his lone campaign as a Mustang and earned a medical redshirt his final year as a Horned Frog. He initially walked on at each of his three prior institutions, before earning a scholarship at all of them.
Lundblade appeared in 15 games at TCU, nine in 2022-23 and six the following year before his season came to an early end. He helped the Horned Frogs make the NCAA Tournament in both campaigns, their third time—alongside 2021-22/2022-23 and 1951-52/1952-53—ever making consecutive appearances.
Overall, Lundblade has averaged 11.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 25.4 minutes per game across his superb career. He owns a 45.2 percent mark from the field, a 43.5 percent tally beyond the arc and a 93.3 percent figure at the line as a collegian, along with several academic plaudits.
A 2021 McDonald's All-American Game nominee and, per both 247Sports and ESPN, a three-star recruit, Lundblade spent his senior year at Greensboro Day School in Greensboro, N.C. There, he was named an all-conference honoree after helping the team to a 24-6 record.
Prior to that, Lundblade attended Grapevine Faith Christian School in Grapevine, Texas, where he averaged 22.7 points per game across his three-year career. As a senior, he posted 28.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, en route to the TAPPS District 1-5A MVP and a 5A All-State nods. He also made the All-State Tournament Team following a run to the 5A state semifinals.
The Volunteers have nine prior letter winners from Texas, including two-time team captain Brandon Crump (2001-05). Tennessee had three Lone Star State natives on the 2025-26 roster in Amaree Abram, Campbell Duncan and Gavin Paull.
Lundblade's older brother, Brad, spent four years as an NFL center, earning stints with the Seattle Seahawks, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers and New York Jets from 2018-21. His father, Kirk, played basketball at SMU from 1980-84, aiding the team to its first NCAA Tournament berth in 17 years during a 25-win senior campaign.
Per 247Sports, Lundblade is the No. 17 transfer prospect in the country, including the third-best at the shooting guard position. Both 247Sports and Rivals rate him as a four-star portal recruit.
Lundblade is the first member of Tennessee's transfer class in 2026, as well as the fourth newcomer set to join the program for next season. He follows high school signees Marquis Clark, Manny Green and Ralph Scott.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
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