By: Alex Allard, Director of Athletics Communications
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University head basketball coach Corey Gipson has unveiled the highest-rated recruiting class in department history, consisting of 10 newcomers comprised of eight freshmen and two veteran additions.
"Our 2026 to 2027 recruiting class has arrived with a tremendous sense of urgency and a desire to take care of some unfinished business," said Gipson. "We have been extremely pleased with how quickly this group has become equally yoked, one band of brothers united by the same mission and purpose. Supposedly, we have one of the top recruiting classes in the country. Now, we have to put in the work every single day to prove it and earn the right to believe it. I can honestly say, if I were no longer a member of this coaching staff, I would be the first person in line to buy a season ticket and support this extraordinary group. There is something special about this team, and I cannot wait for our community to experience it."
TRANSFER ADDITIONS
Shamarrie Hugie | Marshall | Senior Guard
Shamarrie Hugie spent his senior season at Marshall where he averaged 4.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game for the Thundering Herd. He scored a season-high 19 points in the 2026 Sun Belt Championship Semifinals against Georgia Southern, while also adding eight rebounds.
Hugie began his collegiate career at Cowley College where he helped lead the Tigers to the NJCAA National Tournament as a freshman and sophomore. As a sophomore, Hugie averaged 14.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, as the Tigers won the Region VI Tournament and Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Championship.
Chuck Love III | Loyola Chicago | Sophomore Guard
Chuck Love III comes to Clarksville after spending his freshman season at Loyola where he earned seven starts across 13 appearances. Love III averaged 7.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game for the Ramblers, while shooting 40% from the field and 79% from the charity stripe.
Love III was a four-star recruit and a top 100 prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals out of La Lumiere School – the first former four-star recruit in program history.
FRESHMEN ADDITIONS
Bradley Floyd | Winston Salem Christian School | Freshman Guard
Bradley Floyd ranked #188 nationally by 247Sports coming out of Winston Salem Christian School – the highest-rated recruit in program history by 247Sports. He also was tabbed a top 10 player in North Carolina by 247Sports and Rivals, and the #9 combo guard nationally by both metrics.
As a senior, he helped Winston Salem Christian reach the FAB 50 national rankings, and was a participant in the 2026 Big Shots Prep Nationals for the second-straight season, after leading the team to a championship and MVP performance as a junior. Floyd began his prep career at Kings Mountain High School, where he was a Big South 3A Player of the Year, All-Area Player of the Year and a NCBCA First Team All-District 10 selection as a sophomore in 2023-24. As a freshman, Floyd earned Second Team All-District 10 honors after averaging 15.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
Cam Ryans | Northview High School | Freshman Guard
The 2026 Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year – the first Austin Peay newcomer to earn the honor during their high school career – Cam Ryans prepped at Northview High School under coaches Brandeon Guyton and David Chana. Ryans was ranked the #231 recruit and a top 80 small forward out of high school. The three-time All-State selection was a two-time Grand Rapids Press Player of the Year and averaged 24.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game during his senior season. Throughout his high school career, Ryans helped lead the Wildcats to three district titles, three conference titles, and one region title.
During his final season at NHS, Ryans helped lead the Wildcats to a 22-5 overall record and an appearance in the Division I State Quarterfinals. During the team's State Championship run, Ryans hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer in a 52-50 win against East Kentwood in the Division I Regional Finals and finished the game with 30 points. He scored 40 points multiple times during his prep career, with a career-high of 43 points in mid-Feb.
PJ Singleton | Canarsie High School | Freshman Guard
Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, PJ Singleton was a three-time New York State Sportswriters Association Class AAA All-State selection at Canarsie High School under head coach Jake Edwards. Singleton helped lead Canarsie High School to the Public Schools Athletic League Final Four for the first time in 20 years during his senior season, averaging over 15 points per game.
A First Team All-PSAL selection during his senior season, Singleton also garnered All-City honors as a senior.
Talon Todd | Brennan High School | Freshman Point Guard
A three-star recruit and the #30 recruit out of Texas by 247Sports, Talon Todd was a four-year varsity letterwinner for head coach Koty Cowgil at Brennan High School. He averaged 10.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game during his senior season, while helping lead the Bears to a 33-4 overall record, 16-0 mark in District 28 play and an appearance in the program's first 6A Division I State Championship game.
A 2025-26 Express All-Area selection and multiple-time regional player of the week as a senior, Todd was selected to the 2026 San Antonio Sports All-Star Roster. During his junior season, he was named a 28-6A First Team All-District selection while also being named a Northside ISD Academic All-District selection. He also earned 29-6A Sixth Man of the Year honors as a sophomore.
Felipe Minzer | The Academy of Central Florida | Freshman Point Guard
The first known player in program history from Argentina, Felipe Minzer prepped at the Academy of Central Florida under coaches Carlos Morales Sr. and Galo Lara. Minzer was the #141 overall recruit by Rivals – the highest-rated recruit in program history by that metric. He was a member of the 2025-26 U19 and 2024-25 U17 World Cup team for Argentina.
He averaged 9.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game for Argentina after averaging 17.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and a team-best 4.6 assist per game on the U17 team. Minzer has been on the international stage since he was 15 playing, in the U18 Adidas Next Generation Tournament for team Casademont Zaragoza.
Alex Davis | Southeastern Prep Academy | Freshman Forward
A three-star recruit, the #40 recruit out of Florida and the #353 overall prospect by 247Sports, Alex Davis came to Clarksville by way of Southeastern Prep Academy where he played for head coach Eduardo Soto.
Davis participated in the Big Shots Prep Nationals where he was named a top performer in the tournament by BallIsLife.com. Davis transferred to Southeastern Prep Academy from Zephyrhills Christian Academy before his senior season after averaging 19.4 points, 15.2 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game as a junior.
Birkir Eythorsson | St. John's Northwestern DME Basketball Program | Freshman Guard
The first known player in program history from Iceland, Birkir Eythrorsson comes to Clarksville from St. John's Northwestern DME Basketball Program, but has been on the international stage representing his home country since 2022. He was a member of Iceland's U16 and U18 teams from 2022-25 competing in the Eurobasket Division B League, while also playing for team Haukar in the Iceland Express League in 2024-25.
In the U18 Eurobasket-Division B League, in 2024-25, Eythrorsson averaged 11.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game in 26.6 minutes per game. In his first season on Iceland's U18 team in 2023-24, he averaged 9.0 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game in 23.7 minutes per game. He spent the 2022-23 season on the U16 Iceland team, averaging 20.6 points and 6.6 rebounds in 28.7 minutes per game with a shooting split of 37.4/34.6/78.2.
Donovan Bolden | Warren High School | Freshman Forward
Bolden comes to Clarksville from Warren High School in San Antonio, Texas. The 6-10 forward averaged 7.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game during his senior season. Bolden also played for the SA Future 17U AAU team, where he averaged 5.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. His two blocks per game ranked eighth in the puma circuit.
