Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball head coach Roland Fanning completed the Governors’ 2024 slate with the announcement of 26 nonconference games Monday.
The Governors’ upcoming campaign begins Friday, February 16th – a mere 60 days away – when it hosts Western Illinois in a three-game series on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park – the first of two straight home weekends to begin the season.
After opening against the Leathernecks, Austin Peay State University heads south for the first of six games against Southeastern Conference opponents when it faces Mississippi State in a pair of midweek games, February 20th-21st. The APSU Govs also will travel to Auburn on March 8th-10th and Ole Miss on March 26th later in the season.
After the trip to Starkville, the Governors return to Clarksville for a four-game homestand. A weekend series against Maryland Eastern Shore, February 23rd-25th, opens the stand before a first-ever meeting against Gonzaga in a rare Monday tilt, February 26th.
The APSU Govs then take on a two-week-long, seven-game road trip. A first-ever meeting with Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) awaits when the Govs and Vaqueros play a four-game series that spans the end of February and the beginning of March. Austin Peay State University then travels to Auburn to complete the road trip.
A brief stop home to face Western Kentucky on March 12th provides a break before ASUN Conference play opens at Lipscomb, March 15th-17th.
Other midweek home offerings include former conference foe Southeast Missouri on March 19th, longtime in-state foe Middle Tennessee on April 23rd, a visit from Alabama A&M on April 30th, former conference foe Belmont on May 7th, and longtime antagonist Evansville on May 14th.
In addition to the Ole Miss midweek trip on March 26th, the APSU Govs travel to Evansville, Belmont, and Middle Tennessee.
Fans can make their first payment toward 2024 Season Tickets online at Ticketmaster.com.
Austin Peay State University’s 2024 Non-Conference Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Notably |
| Feb. 16-18 (H) | Western Illinois (12-40, 8-16 Summit) |
WIU, which is in its first season as an Ohio Valley Conference member, returns to The Hand after being the Govs’ final opponent of the shortened 2020 season. The Leathernecks lead the series 2-1 after losing that 2020 meeting. |
| Feb. 20-21 (A) | Mississippi State (27-26, 9-21 SEC) |
Austin Peay faces Mississippi State for the first time since 2013. The Govs are 0-4 in Starkville all-time, including a loss during the 2013 season. Austin Peay has won twice in the seven meetings between the teams, sweeping a midweek pair from the Bulldogs during the 2007 season. |
| Feb. 23-25 (H) | Maryland Eastern Shore (18-37, 17-16 NEC) |
The first of three first-time opponents on the Govs’ schedule. The Hawks were slated to be the Govs’ 2018 season opener before weather forced the cancelation of the series. |
| Feb. 26 (H) | Gonzaga (18-34, 14-13 WCC) |
Another first-time foe in 2024, the Bulldogs visit Clarksville to complete a four-day stay in Middle Tennessee. |
| March 1-3 (A) | Texas Rio Grande Valley (30-26, 15-14 WAC) |
The Govs’ third first-time opponent of the 2024 slate. It will be the second consecutive year Austin Peay has traveled to Texas and the fifth time since 2009. Austin Peay has not won a game in the Lone Star State. |
| March 8-10 (A) | Auburn (34-23-1, 17-13 SEC) |
Austin Peay and Auburn meet for the first time since 1982. The Tigers lead the series 5-1, with the Govs’ lone win coming during the 1972 season in Game 2 of a doubleheader. Auburn was the No. 13 national seed in last season’s NCAA tournament. |
| March 12 (A) | Western Kentucky (33-26, 16-14 CUSA) |
The Govs and Hilltoppers have met 164 times, with WKU leading the series 97-66-1, including a 43-27-1 edge in Bowling Green. APSU won the last meeting between the teams last season in Clarksville but has not won a road meeting since 2019. |
| March 19 (H) | Southeast Missouri (26-30, 14-10 OVC) |
Austin Peay and Southeast Missouri resume their rivalry after a one-season hiatus. The Govs and Redhawks met 89 times as members of the Ohio Valley Conference (1992-2022), with SEMO claiming a 50-39 edge in league outings. |
| March 26 (A) | Ole Miss (34-23-1, 17-13 SEC) |
The Govs return to Oxford for the first time since 2021 and for the 22nd time in program history. Austin Peay has won twice at Ole Miss, picking up victories in 1996 and 1998, but has lost 14 straight at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field. |
| April 2 (A) May 14 (H) |
Evansville (37-24, 15-12 MVC) |
Austin Peay and Evansville meet for the second-straight season after the Purple Aces swept last season’s home-and-home set. It was the first time either team had swept a home-and-home set since 2013. |
| April 9 (A) May 7 (H) |
Belmont (27-33, 10-17 MVC) |
APSU and BU have met annually since 1998 in a series that dates back to 1954. Belmont won last season’s only meeting in Clarksville and has won three of the last four meetings in the series. |
| April 16 (A) April 23 (H) |
Middle Tennessee (27-29, 14-16 CUSA) |
Another series that returns after a one-season hiatus as the Govs and Blue Raiders renew a series that has 209 previous meetings in the ledger. MTSU has won three straight and eight of the last 10 meetings in the series, leading 136-73. APSU has not won in Murfreesboro since 2015. |
| April 30 (H) | Alabama A&M (14-34, 5-24 SWAC) |
The Govs and Bulldogs meet for the fourth time on the diamond but for the first time since a 2012 home-and-home series. Austin Peay has won the three previous meetings against the Bulldogs. |
