Austin Peay Governors

Athletic teams representing Austin Peay State University

Websitewww.letsgopeay.com

The Austin Peay Governors are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Austin Peay State University (APSU or Peay), located in Clarksville, Tennessee, United States. The Governors athletic program is a member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) for all sports except football, in which it competes in the United Athletic Conference (UAC). The latter conference started play in the 2023 season as a football-only merger between two conferences in the second tier of Division I football, the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)—the ASUN and the Western Athletic Conference.^[2] Before the 2022–23 school year, the Governors were members of another FCS league, the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC).^[3]^[4]

The Austin Peay mascot is The Governor, and the school colors are red and white. While the women's teams were formerly known as the Lady Govs, the school emphasizes that all teams are now Governors.

Conference affiliations

NCAA

Ohio Valley Conference (1962–2022)
Atlantic Sun Conference (2022–present)

Varsity teams

Men's sports	Women's sports
Baseball	Basketball
Basketball	Beach volleyball
Cross country	Cross country
Football	Golf
Golf	Lacrosse (in 2025–26)
Tennis	Soccer
	Softball
	Tennis
	Track and field^†
	Volleyball
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

Athletics began at Austin Peay almost as soon as the school opened for classes in 1929 as Austin Peay Normal School; men's and women's basketball teams were organized that first year. Football was added in the fall of 1930 and baseball in the spring of 1931, with other men's sports added and dropped over the years. Women's basketball was discontinued in 1938, but returned in 1973, along with volleyball, tennis, and golf when women's sports gained widespread inclusion.^[5]

A member of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) since July 1, 2022, Austin Peay State University sponsors teams in six men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports.

Shortly after the 2022 football season, the ASUN and Western Athletic Conference (WAC), which had been partners in a football-only alliance in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, announced a full merger of their football leagues, creating what eventually became the UAC. Peay is one of nine inaugural members of the new conference, which started play in the 2023 season.

Women's lacrosse will become the 11th varsity women's sport and 17th overall in the 2026 season (2025–26 school year). The new team will play in the ASUN alongside most other Peay sports.^[6]

Facilities

Basketball: F&M Bank Arena
Baseball: Raymond C. Hand Park
Cross country: (Does not have home competition facility)
Football: Fortera Stadium
Golf: Swan Lake Golf Course, Clarksville Country Club & The Links at Novadell

Soccer: Morgan Brothers Soccer Field (also home to lacrosse from 2025–26)
Softball: Cheryl Holt Field
Tennis: Governors Indoor Tennis Center & Outdoor Tennis Courts
Track and field (indoor): (Does not have home competition facility)
Track and field (outdoor): Fortera Stadium
Volleyball: Winfield Dunn Center

References

^ "APSU Governors Brand Identity" (PDF). May 30, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
^ "ASUN-WAC Football Partnership Formally Rebrands as the United Athletic Conference" (Press release). ASUN Conference. April 17, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
^ "OVC Member Institutions". Ohio Valley Conference. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
^ "Austin Peay State University". NCAA. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
^ "Austin Peay State University Traditions". Austin Peay State University. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
^ "Women's Lacrosse Set to Become Austin Peay's 17th NCAA Division I Intercollegiate Team" (Press release). Austin Peay Governors. March 11, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2024.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Austin Peay State University athletics.

Official website

Atlantic Sun Conference

Full members

Future members

West Georgia Wolves (joining in 2024)

Men's lacrosse associates

Air Force Falcons
Cleveland State Vikings (leaving in 2024)
Detroit Mercy Titans (leaving in 2024)
Lindenwood Lions (leaving in 2024)
Mercer Bears
Robert Morris Colonials (leaving in 2024)
Utah Utes

Women's lacrosse associates

Men's swimming & diving associates

Women's swimming & diving associates

United Athletic Conference (most football-playing members)

v t e United Athletic Conference
Teams	Abilene Christian Wildcats Austin Peay Governors Central Arkansas Bears Eastern Kentucky Colonels North Alabama Lions Southern Utah Thunderbirds Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks Tarleton Texans Utah Tech Trailblazers
Future teams	West Georgia Wolves (joining in 2024)
Championships & awards	Conference champions All-time standings
Seasons	2021 2022 2023

v t e Sports teams based in Tennessee
Baseball	IL Memphis Redbirds Nashville Sounds SL Chattanooga Lookouts Tennessee Smokies ApL Bristol State Liners Elizabethton River Riders Greeneville Flyboys Johnson City Doughboys Kingsport Axmen PL Full Count Rhythm Jackson Rockabillys
Basketball	NBA Memphis Grizzlies
Football	NFL Tennessee Titans UFL Memphis Showboats AFL Nashville Kats
Hockey	NHL Nashville Predators SPHL Knoxville Ice Bears
Roller derby	WFTDA Chattanooga Roller Girls Hard Knox Roller Girls Little City Roller Girls Memphis Roller Derby Nashville Roller Derby
Soccer	MLS Nashville SC USLC Memphis 901 FC MLSNP Chattanooga FC USL1 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC One Knoxville SC USL2 Tennessee SC Tri-Cities Otters NPSL Inter Nashville FC Nashville United
College athletics (NCAA Division I)	Austin Peay Belmont Chattanooga East Tennessee State Lipscomb Memphis Middle Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee State Tennessee Tech UT Martin Vanderbilt

v t e College sports teams in Tennessee
NCAA Division I	Austin Peay Governors (ASUN) Belmont Bruins (Missouri Valley) Chattanooga Mocs (Southern) ETSU Buccaneers (Southern) Lipscomb Bisons (ASUN) Memphis Tigers (The American) Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (CUSA) Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Vols (SEC) Tennessee State Tigers and Lady Tigers (Ohio Valley) Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (Ohio Valley) UT Martin Skyhawks (Ohio Valley) Vanderbilt Commodores (SEC)
NCAA Division II	Carson–Newman Eagles (South Atlantic) Christian Brothers Buccaneers and Lady Buccaneers (Gulf South) King Tornado (Carolinas) Lane Dragons (SIAC) Lee Flames (Gulf South) LeMoyne–Owen Magicians (SIAC) Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters (South Atlantic) Trevecca Nazarene Trojans (G-MAC) Tusculum Pioneers (South Atlantic) Union University Bulldogs (Gulf South)
NCAA Division III	Maryville Scots (CCS) Rhodes Lynx (Southern Athletic Association) Sewanee Tigers (Southern Athletic Association)
NAIA	Bethel Wildcats (Mid-South) Bryan Lions (Appalachian) Cumberland Phoenix (Mid-South) Fisk Bulldogs (Gulf Coast) Freed–Hardeman Lions (Mid-South) Johnson Royals (Appalachian) Milligan Buffaloes (Appalachian) Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs (Appalachian) UT Southern FireHawks (Mid-South)