CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – For the third-straight season, an Austin Peay State University football player has been named the United Athletic Conference's Scholar-Athlete of the Year, with Chandler Kirton earning the league's top academic honor for the second-straight year. Kirton and Courtland Simmons also were both named to the Academic All-UAC Team, with Kirton receiving a second-straight unanimous selection.
In the conference's three-year history, an Austin Peay football student-athlete has earned the UAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award each season, with Kirton winning it twice and Maddux Trujillo winning the award in 2023. Kirton and Trujillo also were both unanimous selections to the Academic All-UAC team, which recognizes the top 11 student-athletes across the UAC based on academic and athletic achievement.
A native of Atlantic Beach, Florida, the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame named Kirton a finalist for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy® and to the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments®. Kirton, who also was a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy in 2024, was Austin Peay's first-ever finalist for the award.
Kirton also was named a finalist for the 2025 Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award, presented by Stats Perform. Kirton received the UAC nomination for the award for the second-straight season and was one of 13 finalists – one from each FCS conference – for the Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award.
Kirton graduated from Austin Peay in December 2024 with a 3.92 grade-point average while earning his bachelor's degree in management; he currently maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA while pursuing his Master's of Business Administration from APSU.
On the field, Kirton started every game for the Governors from 2022-25, setting the program record with 47-consecutive starts. During the 2025 season, Kirton started all 12 games at center for Austin Peay, anchoring an offensive line that ranked 12th in the FCS in total offense (451.1), 14th in passing offense (364.7), 15th in scoring offense (35.1), and 25th in rushing offense (186.4). The Governors also ranked 33rd in the FCS and second in the UAC in tackles for loss allowed (4.75), while ranking second in the conference in sacks allowed (1.83). The Govs offense also ranked fourth in the FCS and led the UAC in red zone offense (.935).
In Week 3 against Morehead State, Kirton lined up in the backfield for Austin Peay and carried the ball for a one-yard rushing touchdown, marking the first touchdown by a Governors offensive lineman since 2017. He finished his career with one carry for one yard and a touchdown.
A redshirt sophomore running back from Madison, Tennessee, Simmons has a 3.92 grade-point average while majoring in finance. Simmons has been named to the Dean's List in four semesters at APSU.
On the field, Simmons rushed 70 times for 317 yards and three touchdowns, while catching 16 passes for 312 yards and one touchdown. Simmons ranked fourth on Austin Peay with 629 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns.
Simmons ranked second among Austin Peay running backs in rushing yards and touchdowns, he also led APSU running backs in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
Simmons also ranked 17th in the UAC in rushing touchdowns, 23rd in rushing yards, and 23rd in rushing yards per game (26.4).
Simmons had a career-best 146 all-purpose yards against Morehead State with 39 rushing and 107 receiving yards, while also scoring two rushing touchdowns – his first career multi-touchdown game. He also had a career-best 81 rushing yards against North Alabama.
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