United Athletic Conference (UAC) Football announced its All-Academic Team as voted on by the league's Athletic Communications football contacts and for the second consecutive season Austin Peay produced the UAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honoree with Chandler Kirton garnering the distinction.

A finalist for 2024 Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award and a semifinalist for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy, Kirton is majoring in management and has a 3.94 grade-point average. Kirton, who is set to graduate from Austin Peay this month, has made the Austin Peay Dean’s List in all six semesters he has been enrolled at the university. He also serves as a member of the Austin Peay Student-Athlete Advisory Committee

A 2022 All-ASUN, 2023 All-UAC selection and 2023 Collegiate Sports Communications Academic All-District honoree, Kirton was also 2024 Stats Perform FCS Preseason Third Team All-America selection prior to the season. After starting primarily at guard for his first two seasons at Austin Peay, Kirton moved to center for his redshirt junior season. Kirton has started 35 straight games for the Governors. At center this season, he graded out at 69.1 percent per Pro Football Focus; it was the highest grade among any regular contributors on APSU’s offensive line. Kirton also led the Govs with a 64.1 percent grade in run blocking and a 75.7 percent grade in pass blocking. Kirton allowed only one sack from the center position during the 2024 season. 

The UAC All-Academic team included 11 student-athletes representing six different programs. The prestigious group boasted seven members with a 4.00 cumulative GPA. Student-athletes nominated for the UAC All-Academic team must have had a cumulative 3.5 GPA, have participated in 90 percent of contests during the season or be a starter in 66 percent of contests and must be at least a sophomore both athletically and academically.

2024 UAC FOOTBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM

Scholar Athlete of the Year: Chandler Kirton (Austin Peay)

Name (GPA | School | Cl | Hometown | Academic Major)
*Chandler Kirton (3.94 | Austin Peay | RS-Jr. | Atlantic Beach, Fla. | Management)
Alan Hatten (4.00 | Abilene Christian | Gr. | Great Meadows, N.J. | Management Science)
Nehemiah Martinez (4.00 | Abilene Christian | Sr. | Lubbock, Texas | Conflict Management and Resolution)
Tay Yanta (4.00 | Abilene Christian | RS-Sr. | Falls City, Texas | Strength, Conditioning and Human Performance)
Jake Gaster (4.00 | Central Arkansas | Sr. | Frisco, Texas | Finance)
Payton Collins (3.71 | EKU | Sr. | Columbus, Ohio | Business/MBA)
John Stone (4.00 | EKU | Sr. | Ashland, Ky. | Business/MBA)
Sam Contorno (4.00 | North Alabama | RS-Jr. | Tuscaloosa, Ala. | Interior Architecture & Design)
Takairee Kenebrew (3.62 | North Alabama | Gr. | Childersburg, Ala. | MBA [accounting])
Collin Gardner (4.00 | Southern Utah | RS-Jr. | Vienna, Va. | MBA)
Gavin Lipkin (3.98 | Southern Utah | Jr. | Las Vegas, Nev. | Engineering Technology)

*-Denotes unanimous selection