Featured Image: UT Martin’s Head Coach Jeremy Shulman goes over plays during a timeout during the basketball game against Little Rock on Feb. 3, 2026, at the Elam Center in Martin Tenn. (Pacer Photo by Kaniya Anthony)

A transfer list that started with the announcement of star freshman Matas Deniusas’ intent to enter on March 11, has now expanded to 15 Skyhawks since the opening of the NCAA transfer portal on April 7. The mass exodus leads the nation by two with the NIU Huskies just behind with 13 in the portal. 

Other departures include junior guard Andrija Bukumirović, who led the team in points (13.8) and rebounds (7.8), along with freshman guard Filip Petkovski, sophomore guard Filip Radaković, sophomore guard Dragos Lungu, junior guard Afan Trnka, freshman guard Pedro Santos, freshman guard Damien King, junior forward Lamine Niang, freshman forward Ama Sow and freshman guard Ty Price.  

Two players have been with second-year head coach Jeremy Shulman for their entire careers— Bukumirović and Trnka.  

After Bukumirović’s transfer announcement, Shulman posted on his X account, “So excited for Andrija!!! Andrija has been with me side-by-side for 3 years, working, developing, winning—and now he has a chance to make really good money for his Senior year!! Happy for you my guy!!!” 

Something that stands out with the continued loss of players is Shulman’s positive attitude toward the ups and downs of the transfer portal.  

On April 6, Shulman posted on his X account, “Coaches – with the portal opening up tomorrow, feel free to hit me about our players who are leaving. I did JUCO and AAU for 27 years, so I know how the game goes. Also, if we are interested in one of your players, we will hit you up as well.” 

This combined with senior forward Luca Colceag and senior forward AJ Hopkins graduating leaves the Skyhawks with 17 empty roster spots going into the 2026-2027 season. After one of the best seasons since 2008, the Skyhawks now look at a roster reset.  

Just two players remain from the 2025-2026 season, freshman guard Enrique Moya and freshman forward Vladimir Khryapa. 

Moya spent the 2024-2025 season in the Spain U19 for Cuerva FCBG before coming to joining the Skyhawks this past season. 

Khryapa, son of former NBA first round pick Viktor Khryapa, came to UT Martin from Golden State Prep in Napa, California. Khryapa appeared in 30 games in the 2025-2026 season for the Skyhawks and averaged 2.3 points per game, 2.5 rebounds per game and one steal per game in those appearances. 

One of those roster spots will be filled by 2026 guard commit Nikola Janicic, who recently committed to the Skyhawks. Janicic averaged 22.6 points(1st), 5.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game(7th) on his way to a first-place finish in FIBA EuroBasket-Division B and an eventual championship for North Macedonia at just 18-years-old. 

Janicic will be just one of many new faces to appear in the Tom and Kathleen Elam Center next season for the Skyhawks, as they search to build a new team almost entirely from scratch.