Indianapolis, IN – For the second-consecutive year and fifth time in department history, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) athletics department is the recipient of an NCAA Accelerating Academic Success Program initiative grant.
“It is a great day to be a Gov,” said APSU Vice President and Athletics Director Gerald Harrison. “We could not be more excited to be selected to receive the NCAA AASP grant for the third time since I have been at Austin Peay State University. This grant always helps us push the ‘Total Gov Concept’ to new heights, and I know that we will do that this year through the holistic development of our student-athletes in the Govs Academy.”
Austin Peay State University Athletics received a single-year grant totaling $100,000 from the NCAA and was one of only 17 Division I institutions to receive a grant for the 2024-25 academic year. The athletics department will use the grant to fund initiatives under the Govs Academy, including personal development, professional development, leadership development, community engagement, the Ellis Initiative, and enhancement to APSU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
“We are thrilled to receive the AASP grant once again, continuing the vital support for our student-athletes at Austin Peay State University,” said APSU Associate Director of Athletics for Student-Athlete Success Dr. Kristal McGreggor. “This year’s funding will be instrumental in elevating the Total Gov Academy and launching a new leadership institute. Through these programs, we are providing our student-athletes with invaluable resources and opportunities for personal, academic, and professional growth. This support reaffirms our dedication to their success, equipping them with the skills to thrive in life beyond sports and make meaningful contributions to their communities.”
Established in 2012, the program awards over $1 million annually to Division I colleges and universities that meet grant qualifications for the support of their academic initiatives to help increase the graduation rates of student-athletes. The AASP grants are an example of how the NCAA and its member schools invest in academic support and success of student-athletes.
“This is always an exciting time of the year – to congratulate and highlight our Accelerating Academic Success Program recipients,” said Felicia Martin, NCAA senior vice president of inclusion, education, and community engagement. “Each campus recipient is intentional with their application by clearly stating a commitment to invest in and to evolve services to support student athletes’ educational experience and their academic success.”
Austin Peay State University’s athletics department posted a 3.00 grade-point average or better for the 14th consecutive semester in May 2024. More than 76 percent of the department’s student-athletes received academic recognition during the Spring 2024 semester, with 75 of 294 student-athletes posting a 4.0 GPA and 123 student-athletes qualifying for the Austin Peay Dean’s List.
During the 2023-24 academic year, the Governors had two student-athletes recognized as the conference’s scholar-athlete of the year in their respective sports. Maddux Trujillo was named the United Athletic Conference’s Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year, while Lyle Miller-Green was named the Atlantic Sun Conference’s Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
In addition, 37 Austin Peay State University student-athletes were recognized as College Sports Communicators Academic All-District© Team selections during the 2024-25 academic year. Miller-Green and Jon Jon Gazdar – from the Govs baseball program – also were named CSC First Team Academic All-America® selections, making them the eighth and ninth Austin Peay student-athletes to earn First Team Academic All-America® recognition all-time.
“I am grateful that the NCAA has chosen to support our great university with this grant,” said APSU President Dr. Michael Licari. “We have high academic standards for our student-athletes, and they continue to meet and exceed those standards every single year. This support will help our student-athletes continue to have sustained success in the classroom while also providing personal and professional development through the Govs Academy!”
