NASHVILLE – The Trevecca Nazarene University men's basketball team has been a brilliant ride the last two seasons. A year ago, in the first season under the leadership of Kevin Carroll, the team equaled the most wins in the NCAA DII era, posted its second DII era winning season, produced its longest win streak, home win streak, and went from the worst DII offense to one of the best in the division. So, one might think year two could get better, but not as dramatically. Don't tell that to the Trojans. 

The 2024-25, the 57th TNU men's basketball season, Trojans have surpassed nearly every measure they reset last year and added a few more. Read below how many records this 13th NCAA DII edition of the Trojans has broken and the number of other records under pressure.

The Trojans reward for pushing past expectations is the chance to host a first round game of the 2025 Truist Gulf South Championships. The Trojans host fifth seed Delta State University at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. The Statesmen are coached by Mike Nienaber. Nienaber is a familiar name to Trojan fans. He started his collegiate coaching career 42 years ago at then Bethel College. Later, he moved to Christian Brothers University.    
   
The team opens their first Gulf South Conference postseason with a home quarterfinal game tonight. Tickets are available at tnutrojans.com. The fourth seeded Trojans host fifth seeded Delta State University.
 
Coach Carroll produced the most wins through the first 50 games of any previous coach had in school history, a tall task especially considering the programs recent production. Heading into a new conference looked to be challenging, but the team looked at the preseason prediction they'd finish tenth in the league and rejected it, finishing fourth and securing a home postseason game for the firs time.
 
The entire roster of the 2024-25 team has combined to put pressure on and break several records over the course of the season including winning more regular season games and conference games than any previous NCAA DII era team.
 
Now, they being the postseason with anticipations of pushing through more records and staking out new highpoints.
 
Here are some of the work they've already accomplished in this remarkable season.
 
2024-25 SEASON NOTES
 
NCAA Rankings as of March 3, 2025.
Mateo "Maestro" Esmeraldo is No. 4 in NCAA DII in assists, No. 7 in free throw percentage, No. 27 in assist-to-turnover ratio. 
 
Jalen Page is No. 17 in NCAA DII in points per game, No. 25 in three-pointers per game, No. 27 in three-point percentage. 
 
As a team, the Trojans are ranked No. 16 in fastbreak scoring, No. 22 in defensive rebounds, No. 23 in assists per game, No. 23 in three pointers per game, No. 25 in free throw percentage, No. 35 in blocks per game, and No. 36 in effective field goal percentage,
 
Gulf South Rankings as of March 3, 2025.
Jalen Page is No. 2 in the Gulf South in points per game and three-point field goals made and No. 3 in three-point percentage, No. 7 in free throw percentage, and No. 13 in steals.
 
Esmeraldo is No. 1 in the Gulf South in assist/turnover ratio and assists and is No. 2 in free throw percentage.
 
NaVuan Peterson, short a few games of qualification, would be ranked No. 5 in rebounding and in the top 10 in blocks.
 
Caleb Terry is No. 2 in the Gulf South in blocks. 
 
Jikari Johnson is No. 3 in the Gulf South in made three-point field goals, No. 5 points per game, No. 5 in three-point percentage, and No. 15 in blocks. 
 
Gulf South Team Rankings
Rankings as of March 3, 2025.
 
No. 1 – Blocked Shots, Assists
No. 2 – Field Goal %, Defensive Rebounds,
No. 3 - Points Per Game, Scoring Margin, Assist-to-Turnover Margin, 3-Point FG %, Opponent FG %, Opponents 3-Point %,
 No. 4 – Free Throw %, Rebounds, Rebound Margin,  
 
Gulf South Preseason 
Picked No. 10 in Gulf South Preseason Coaches' Poll; Currently tied for third in Gulf South Standings
 
Jalen Page became the first Trojan to make the Gulf South Preseason Team and Jikari Johnson, NaVuan Peterson, and Brett Wright were recognized on the GSC Newcomer Watch List. 
 
2024-25 RECORDS SET IN 2024-25
 
Individual Records  
 
Field Goal Percentage // Game
NaVuan Peterson had a great game for the Trojans against West Alabama and hit 10-of-10 from the foul line, setting a new school mark for free throw percentage in a game. 
 
Previous Record - 9-for-9 - three players // Byron Sanford, Devin Whitfield, C.J. Penha
New Record - NaVuan Peterson (10-for-10) vs West AL (12.14.24)
 
Assists // Season 
Mateo "The Maestro" Esmeraldo became the single season assist record holder in the NCAA DII era at Trevecca on February 8, 2025 with 155 assists in his first 23 games. He's already in the top 10 for career assists as well. 
 
Previous Record // 152 - Marquise Rudolph
Current Mateo Esmeraldo season assists - 181 
 
Caleb Terry became the NCAA DII era all-time season blocks leader, collecting his 46th on March 1, 2025 against Christian Brothers. 
 
Previous Record - 45 Adam Webb
Current Caleb Terry season blocks - 47
 
Blocks // Career
Caleb Terry became the NCAA DII era all-time blocks leader, collecting his 129th on November 27, 2024 against Alabama Huntsville. 
 
Previous Record - 124 JP Nydaro
Current Caleb Terry career blocks - 169
  
2024-25 RECORDS SET IN 2024-25
 
Team Records  
 
Blocks // Game    
Previous Record - 10 vs Cedarville 2013-14
New Record - 13 vs West AL - 12/14/24
 
Field Goal Made // Game
Previous Record - 39 vs OVU (13-14)
New Record - 42 vs Welch (11/11/24)
 
Assists // Game  
Previous Record - 25 vs So. Indiana (15-16) & OVU (17-18)
New Record - 29 vs Welch (11/11/24)
 
Field Goal Percentage // Game
Previous Record - 64% vs Hillsdale (23-24)
New Record - 69.4 vs Delta State (01/09/25)
 
Three-point FG Made // Season
Previous Record - 266 (23-24)
New Record -2024-25 - 273
 
The team set a new assists record with 29 assists in a 112-66 win over Welch College on November 11, 2024. 
 
When the Trojans beat Kentucky Christian University by the largest margin in the NCAA DII era. Trevecca beat the KCU 105-58, a 47-point win on November 19, 2024. 
 
NCAA South Region Ranking
When the first NCAA DII South Region rankings were released on February 26, 2025, the Trojans were ranked No. 6. 
 
Awards // Honors // Milestones
On December 13, 2024, Jalen Page was selected as the Gulf South Player of the Week, the first for the program. 
 
On January 21, 2025, Jikari Johnson was selected as the Gulf South Player of the Week.  
 
Jikari Johnson and Jalen Page have both surpassed the 1,000 career point marker this season. 
 
KEY MOMENTS IN 2024-25 SEASON 
 
Here are a few key moments on the 2024-25 men's basketball journey. 
 
After a season opening loss in the Sunshine State to Palm Beach Atlanta, the Trojans started a five-game win streak with a win over Embry Riddle.  
 
The first Gulf South Conference win came in a 69-68 nailbiter on the road at Auburn University at Montgomery on December 5, 2024. 
 
On December 21, 2024, the Trojans picked up a road GSC win at West Florida which propelled them to win eight of nine games, pushing the team to the top three in the league standings. The Trojans were 15-5 overall and 10-4 in the GSC. 
 
After winning a pair of road league games in Mississippi last week at Mississippi College and Delta State, the Trojans secured a postseason bid for the second consecutive year and earned their first home conference tournament game in the NCAA DII era. 
 
CARROLLING ON THE HILL 

An inside look at the Kevin Carroll Era at Trevecca. 
 

YEAR	ALL	CONF	HOME
2024-25	19-9	14-8	11-4
2023-24	16-13	11-9	11-3
TOTAL	35-22	25-17	22-7

 
Kevin Carroll, who won the second most games of any first year Trojan head coach, followed that success in year two, producing the best record through 50 games in program history. 
 
He's successfully guided the program to a postseason bid in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2016 and 2017 teams extended the season past the regular season slate. 
 
The 19 wins this season are the most for the program in the DII era and the 14 conference wins set a new DII record for conference wins. it is the most conference wins dating back to the 2007-08 team in the NAIA era. 
 
In his first season, 2023-24, Carroll guided the team to a 16-13 overall record and an 11-9 mark in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The 16 overall wins matched a program record in the DII era. The 11 conference wins were the most in the DII era. It marked the first winning season in seven years and set a conference wins by any TNU coach in their first season. 
 
TREVECCA RECORDS UNDER PRESSSURE // INDIVIDUAL 
 
Scoring Average
Career Record - 17.78 Devin Whitfield
Jalen Page - 20.6
 
Points Per Game 
Season Record - 20.5 // Devin Whitfield
Jalen Page (21.8)
Jikari Johnson (20.5)
 
Three-point Percentage 
Career Record - 40.5 // Devin Whitfield
Jalen Page - 41.7
 
Three-Point Field Goals Made 
Season Record - 91 // Michael France
Jikari Johnson (76)
Jalen Page (76)
 
Free Throws Made 
Season Record - 135 // Byron Sanford
Jikari Johnson (115)
Jalen Page (98)
 
Free Throw Percentage
Season Record - 80.5% // Jalen Page
Mateo Esmeraldo (91.3)
Jalen Page (85.2)
 
Career Record - Marquise Rudolph - 74.0
Jalen Page - 82.7
  
TREVECCA RECORDS UNDER PRESSSURE // TEAM 
 
Assists 
Assists Season Record - 477 (11-12)
2024-25 - 470
 
Blocks
Season Record - 119
2024-25 - 117
 
Points Per Game 
Season Record - 78.8 (23-24)
2024-25 – 82.9 
 
Field Goal Percentage
Season Record - 47.3 (23-24)
2024-25 - 47.3 
 
Three-point Percentage
Season Record - 36.2 (17-18)
2024-25 - 36.1
 
Free Throw Percentage
Season Record - 75.8 (19-20)
2024-25 – 76.9