CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Presley Merida, currently an assistant business manager at Vanderbilt, joins the Austin Peay State University athletics department as Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Chief Financial Officer, effective Jan. 2.

Merida is in her fifth season with Vanderbilt's athletics department. She joined the Commodores staff as an accountant in November 2018, where she served as the financial unit manager for all athletics administrative areas. Promoted to assistant business manager in December 2020, Presley added men's and women's golf, swimming, and lacrosse, as well as the university's recreation and wellness department, to her financial management responsibilities.

"We are very excited to welcome Presley to Stacheville and the Austin Peay family," said Harrison. "I am confident her energy, passion for the student-athlete experience, and the work ethic she displayed at Kentucky and Vanderbilt will be a great asset to our administration."

 "I want to thank Gerald and the rest of the Austin Peay Athletics leadership team for this opportunity," said Merida. "This is an exciting time for Austin Peay Athletics, and I am looking forward to joining a great community of student-athletes, coaches, and staff in Clarksville."

A Kentucky alumnus, Merida began her career as an accounting assistant on the Wildcats athletics staff following her graduation in 2015. She was in Lexington for three seasons and was involved in auditing and processing team travel and recruiting reports.

Merida holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Kentucky, earned in 2015. She obtained a Master of Business Administration from Western Kentucky in December 2019.