Austin Peay basketball forward Collin Parker was named Atlantic Sun Newcomer of the Year and guard Zyree Collins was selected Freshman of the Year, the conference announced March 3.
Parker also was named to the All-ASUN first team, while Collins earned third-team honors. Rashaud Marshall was second-team All-ASUN, as the Governors’ three all-conference players ties a program record.
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Parker led APSU to a 21-8 record (15-3 ASUN) in his first season with the Govs after four years with NAIA Columbia College. The 6-foot-8 graduate student averaged 18.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and shot 48.6% from the field and 42.0% from 3-point distance.
He put up 21.4 points per game during conference play. He’s the first Govs player to earn newcomer of the year honors since Trenton Hassell in 1999, and the first to earn first-team all-conference since Terry Taylor in 2021.
Nov 18, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Austin Peay Governors forward Collin Parker (32) reacts after a three point basket during the second half against the Mississippi Rebels at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
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Collins led all ASUN freshmen in averaging 13.5 points, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game. It’s the second straight season Austin Peay has had the conference’s freshman of the year, following Tate McCubbin.
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Marshall averaged 15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks while shooting 65.6% from the field, which ranked ninth in the nation. The 6-8 forward joined the Governors this season after transferring from Arkansas State.
Austin Peay shared the ASUN regular-season championship — its first regular-season title since 2008 — with Central Arkansas. The Governors got the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament and will face either Eastern Kentucky or Stetson in the quarterfinals on March 6 in Jacksonville, Florida.
The conference championship game — the winner of which receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament — is scheduled for March 8 (1 p.m. CT, ESPN2). APSU has not reached the NCAA Tournament since 2016, though it reached the ASUN title game in 2024, coach Corey Gipson’s first season.
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com and on X/Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Collin Parker named ASUN Newcomer of Year for Austin Peay basketball