CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University Vice President and Director of Athletics Gerald Harrison announced Monday the completion and publication of a comprehensive five-year strategic plan for Austin Peay Athletics.

Over countless hours of collaboration, "Accelerate Our Future," was born as the title for the Strategic Plan, which was approved by the APSU Board of Trustees in December 2022 and has been enacted for 2023 through 2028.

"Accelerate Our Future" is an all-encompassing and ever-changing document that provides a road map to the next level of APSU Athletics. It focuses on the next steps of becoming a perennial athletics department not just in our conference, but across the country. The 'Total Gov Concept' is striving for excellence in every aspect of life for all Governors, and this provides an opportunity to help our current student-athletes embark on that journey.

"If you want to go fast, you go alone. If you want to go far, you go together," said Harrison. "'Accelerate Our Future' not only outlines the goals and mission of Austin Peay athletics for the next five years, but it details the approach and values we must bring to the table every day to build an athletic department that is at the top of its class at the mid-major level.

"Lastly, I want to thank everyone that played a role in the creation of "Accelerate Our Future". From the steering committee to the Mission, Vision, and Values Committee to the working groups, we have created a plan that will continue to make every day a great day to be a Gov!"

Harrison comprised a team of both internal and external stakeholders of Austin Peay Athletics to form a steering committee. These 12 members were a part of many different titles and backgrounds, but with a common goal – seeing the continued growth and successes of Austin Peay Athletics.

Accelerating our future began with surveys and conversations with the individuals associated with APSU Athletics in many different facets – student-athletes, donors, coaches, administration, fans, and many more. Once a baseline understanding was established, a mission, vision, and values committee was enacted to work through what would guide the priorities of the strategic plan:

• Mission
  • To facilitate a culture of excellence that equips and empowers our Govs for lifelong success.
• Vision
  • To be the premier mid-major Division I athletics department by providing our student-athletes with an exceptional experience in a culture of excellence for all Governors.
• Values
  • Growth
  • Opportunity
  • Victory
  • Synergy

With the mission, vision, and values of the athletics department aligned, five working groups were formed to focus on the following priorities of the athletics department and its strategic plan:

• Financial sustainability and revenue generation
  • To create unique opportunities through increased revenue and resources to enhance the student-athlete experience.
• Communication, advertising, and branding
  • To improve market share for key constituents and community partners and increase brand awareness.
• Employee retention
  • To provide an environment that promotes the recruitment and retention of employees in a competitive market.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • To develop a diverse environment where people feel included, welcomed, and treated fairly.
• Student-athlete experience and retention
  • We will provide opportunities and resources for student-athletes to grow competitively, personally, and professionally.

All the strategies and goals outlined and established through the "Accelerate Our Future Strategic Plan" will be executed through a detailed action-step matrix. This not only will help Austin Peay Athletics work toward its goals but create a sense of accountability and timeframe for accelerating our future. Austin Peay Athletics will use this to consistently track our progress over the course of the Strategic Plan.

As Austin Peay sets a heading for becoming the premier mid-major Division I athletic department, the Governors look to build off its four conference championships and a move to the ASUN Conference in the past calendar year. The most recent conference title, won by Scotty Walden and the Austin Peay football team, also marked the Govs first-ever championship in the ASUN.

Austin Peay also shattered its annual giving record during the last fiscal year, receiving $27.6 million in gifts; including a transformational $15 million gift from Joe and Cathi Maynard, that led to the entire APSU Athletic Complex being named in their honor.

The Governors are also coming off a record-setting year in corporate sponsorships thanks to a one-of-a-kind partnership with the Nashville Predators through Sabertooth Sports & Entertainment (SS&E), which raised $1.1 million during the first year of the partnership in 2021-22. The partnership with SS&E will only continue to grow as the Governors basketball programs move into the state-of-the-art F&M Bank Arena, which is operated by SS&E, in the heart of downtown Clarksville.

As Austin Peay sets forth to accelerate our future, the Monocle Society and its members are fueling the creation of superior championship-level resources to support student-athletes in their academic and athletic pursuits.