Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) Vice President and Athletics Director Gerald Harrison has named Toni-Ann Derby the Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Chief of Staff.
“I am excited to welcome Toni-Ann to Clarksville,” said Harrison. “She brings a wealth of experience in collegiate athletics from various Division I conferences that will be beneficial to Austin Peay State University Athletics, our programs, and, most importantly, our student-athletes. I am confident that she will exhibit and promote that ‘Total Gov Concept’ throughout her career in Clarksville.”
“I would like to thank Gerald Harrison for entrusting me to add value to his team,” said Derby. “I’m excited to serve in a new capacity being on campus, providing direct support for coaches and student-athletes while being a contributing factor to the Govs community.”
Derby comes to Clarksville after previously serving as the Director for Championships, Sports Operations, and Governance at the West Coast Conference, a position she had held since September 2020.
While with the WCC, Derby served as the sport administrator and championship director of men’s and women’s tennis and rowing, and the championship director for men’s and women’s cross country. She also served as the league’s liaison for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), coordinated all conference SAAC meetings and events, managed the WCC and NCAA committee nomination process and governance, and managed NCAA automatic qualification applications for the league.
Derby also was the secondary liaison for the WCC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and the WCC Mental Health Advisory Committee.
When the WCC served as a conference host for the 2021 NCAA Division I Women’s College Cup in Santa Clara, California, Derby helped in practice coordination and assisted in team operations. She also assisted with the 2019 and 2021 NCAA Division I Softball Championship as a NCAA Site Representative for the Regional and Super Regional rounds.
Prior to joining the West Coast Conference, Derby served as the Assistant Director for Championships at the Sun Belt Conference, working primarily in championship operations, marketing, and administration. She created on-court marketing promotions for fan engagement at basketball tournaments and implemented the NCAA marketing plan which was used for all SBC Championships.
In 2019, Derby was a judge’s liaison for the 2019 NCAA Gymnastics Baton Rouge Regional and served as a football game day ambassador for Louisiana State.
Derby began her career in the collegiate athletics industry as a Championship and Administrative Fellow for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, August 2017-June 2018. While with the league, she assisted in all MAAC championships and special events, including SAAC initiatives and game-day graphic needs. She also assisted in the planning and execution of the 2018 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Regional in Albany, New York.
Before entering the collegiate industry, Derby served as a Legal and Recruiting Assistant at Shearman & Sterling, LLP and as an Assistant Installation Manager at Carpet One Floor and Home.
Derby currently serves on the Education/ Professional Development Team for the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association.
A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Derby graduated from Pace University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a marketing concentration in 2014. She then earned a master’s of business administration in sports management from Florida International and Escuela Universitaria Real Madrid Universidad Europea in Madrid, Spain, in 2023.
