Indianapolis, IN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) Vice President and Director of Athletics Gerald Harrison has been appointed to the NCAA Division I Council, effective immediately. Harrison’s appointment to the Division I Council continues through the end of the 2026-27 academic year.
The Division I Council is a high-level group responsible for Division I’s day-to-day decision-making. Its members include athletics directors, administrators, Senior Woman Administrators, faculty athletics representatives, and student-athletes. Harrison becomes the Atlantic Sun Conference’s representative on the council, which has members from every Division I conference.
Under Harrison’s leadership, the 2023-24 academic year marked significant milestones, including the Governors’ football team’s entry into the United Athletic Conference and winning the first-ever UAC championship, the inaugural season in the F&M Bank Arena for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and most recently, the Governors’ baseball team clinching a share of its first Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season title.
Harrison has implemented various initiatives to enhance the experience for Austin Peay State University’s coaches and student-athletes. Most notably, the “Total Gov Concept” has prioritized student-athletes welfare and success by introducing key additions such as the department’s first nutritionist and sports psychologists, a dedicated student-athlete lounge, and the LeadHer program to support women’s athletics.
The athletic department’s commitment to the “Total Gov Concept” has seen its teams win 13 conference championships during Harrison’s tenure, including three football conference titles in the past five seasons. In addition, APSU’s student-athletes have excelled in the classroom, recording a 3.0 GPA for a department-record 14 consecutive semesters.
Harrison also has brought top-notch coaching talent to Clarksville to lead Austin Peay State University’s student-athletes. Since his arrival, APSU coaches have won Coach of the Year recognition several times, either at the conference level or through their respective coach’s associations.
Strategic partnerships have been a hallmark of Harrison’s tenure, exemplified by the collaboration with Montgomery County and SS&E, which resulted in the state-of-the-art F&M Bank Arena. Other significant additions during his tenure include the Downey Baseball Operations Center and Clubhouse, the Jenkins Family Fieldhouse, the nutrition room, and ongoing enhancements at Fortera Stadium.
Harrison’s visionary leadership has propelled the athletic department to achieve notable fundraising milestones, from helping achieve yearly Govs Give records to supporting successful campaigns like “What If” and a transformative $15 million contribution from Joe and Cathi Maynard.
Harrison has unveiled a comprehensive strategic plan for the next five years, outlining goals in financial sustainability, revenue generation, the student-athlete experience, and retention.
Professionally, Harrison is a member of the NCAA’s Competition Oversight Committee and the NCAA Football Championship Committee, in addition to several prominent organizations, including the National Association of College Directors of Athletics, 1A Athletics Director Institute, and the American Football Coaches Association.
