2014-15 Governors Annual Report by APSU Sports-Information

FEATURES 8 CAMO JERSEYS FOR WOUNDED WARRIORS

APSU raises more than $8,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project

12 4.0’S MAKE THE GRADE

Perseverance, dedication, time-management & natural intelligence

16 MIDLICK QUICK ON THE MARK AT APSU

David Midlick: 10th head coach for Austin Peay women’s basketball

18 BAKER GOES LOW

Baker put his name into the APSU record books with the lowest 18-hole score in school history.

20 OLBERDING RUNS WITH PURPOSE Natalie Olberding, relentless worker

34 O CANADA

So how did four Canucks wind up in the Queen City, wearing the red-and-white of Austin Peay?

38 LOOS: STILL LOVING IT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

He’s seen it all, he’s done it all and spent a lot of time doing it with the dual yoke of responsibility that comes with being head coach and Athletics Director.

42 WILSON RETURNS TO GOLF ROOTS AS APSU COACH Confident and self-aware, Wilson embraces the challenge.

44-47 GOVERNORS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT The Govs volunteered more than 2,500 hours in the community

READER’S GUIDE THE GOVERNORS’ ANNUAL REPORT is published annually each summer by the Austin Peay Sports Information & Marketing Department. ATHLETICS DIRECTOR Derek van der Merwe (2014-15) INTERIM ATHLETICS DIRECTOR Cheryl Holt SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR Brad Kirtley SPORTS INFORMATION COORDINATOR Cody Bush SPORTS INFORMATION COORDINATOR Colby Wilson VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Brittney Sparn ATHLETICS MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS COORDINATOR Alaric Klinghard GOVERNORS CLUB & TICKETING MANAGER Janet Wilson SPORTS INFORMATION INTERN Corey Adams

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LETSGOPEAY.COM @LETSGOPEAY Austin Peay State University (APSU) does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities sponsored by APSU. Inquiries or complaints regarding the non-discrimination policies, including Title IX complaints, should be directed to the Director of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action and Title IX Coordinator, Sheila Bryant, 601 College Street, Browning Building/Rm 6A, Clarksville, TN 37044, bryantsm@apsu.edu, 931221-7178. Title IX complaints may also be directed to the Deputy Title IX Coordinator, Greg Singleton Associate Vice President and Dean of Students, 601 College Street, Morgan University Center/Rm 206D, Clarksville, TN 37044, singletong@apsu.edu 931-221-7005. The Austin Peay State University policy on nondiscrimination can be found at http://www.apsu.edu/files/policy/5002.pdf. AP-080-S/06-14/1000/Ballentine Press/Hendersonville, TN

E X T R E M E M A K E OV E R :

GOVERNORS STADIUM EDITION

ON SEPT. 9, 2014 THE GOVS OPENED A REFURBISHED GOVERNORS STADIUM AFTER UNDERGOING A $16.9 MILLION UPGRADE DURING THE OFFSEASON. THE NEW STADIUM INCLUDES TOP-LEVEL LUXURY BOXES, A CLUB LEVEL, GOVS GEAR STORE, BILL DUPES LOCKER ROOM AND TRAINING ROOM.

RAYMOND C. HAND PARK SHINES BRIGHTER THAN EVER

A TRIPLE-A QUALITY LIGHTING SYSTEM IS JUST ONE OF THE NEW FEATURES AT RAYMOND C. HAND PARK, WHICH ALSO ADDED NEW PADDING ALONG THE OUTFIELD WALLS AND NOW FEATURES A NEW PLAYING SURFACE.

DUNN CENTER DRESS UP

THE BELOVED LANDMARK GOT SOME TOUCH-UPS DURING THE 2014-15 YEAR, ADDING BUNTING AROUND THE UPPER AND LOWER LEVELS. A MOBILE STOREFRONT FOR RUSSELL ATHLETIC, AUSTIN PEAY’S OFFICIAL APPAREL SPONSOR, IS NOW VISIBLE DURING HOME BASKETBALL GAMES IN THE DUNN CENTER LOBBY.

NEW AND IMPROVED

CHERYL HOLT FIELD

SINCE LAST FALL, AUSTIN PEAY SOFTBALL HAS ENCLOSED ITS INDOOR HITTING FACILITY AND ADDED NEW WRAPS AND WINDSCREENS AROUND THE FENCE, GIVING A NEW EDGE TO THE LADY GOVS HOME.

REVITALIZED

GOVERNORS TENNIS CENTER

THE AUSTIN PEAY TENNIS CENTER NOW FEATURES A BRAND-NEW PLAYING SURFACE, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL WRAPPING ALONG THE FACILITY WALLS.

As part of Military Appreciation Day and to honor the troops at Fort Campbell, the Austin Peay football team elected to wear camouflage jerseys, Nov. 8, 2014, against Tennessee State. The jerseys, donated by Russell Athletic®, had nicknames of Fort Campbell units across the upper back – a violation of NCAA Rule 1, Article 5 regarding proper numerals and lettering. As a result, use of those jerseys would potentially cost the Governors one timeout for every quarter they were worn. Austin Peay was informed about the consequences of violating the rule in the days before the game. Head coach Kirby Cannon could have made a change and kept his timeouts. The Govs wore the jerseys for all four quarters against the Tigers.

APSU RAISES MORE THAN

$8,000

FOR WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT AUCTIONING OFF 80 OF THE CAMOUFLAGE JERSEYS WORN IN THE GOVERNORS’ 2014 HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME AGAINST TENNESSEE STATE.

“The sacrifices we made as far as timeouts are concerned certainly pales in comparison to those our friends at Fort Campbell have made.” Cannon said. “The kids would wear those 100 times over having extra timeouts. It is a strong indication of our support of Fort Campbell and the support we get from them in everyday life.” During the game, it was announced Austin Peay would auction off the jerseys to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, a veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, service and events for wounded veterans. It’s mission is to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service members; to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other; to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of any service member, who incurred a physical or mental injury, illness, or wound, co-incident to their military service on or after Sept. 11, 2001, and their families. Beginning at 11 a.m. on Veteran’s Day – significant for historical reasons, as the time harkens back to Armistice Day, the precursor to Veteran’s Day, which commemorated the end of World War I with an armistice that took effect on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month of 1918 – the auction ended Wednesday, Nov. 26, the day before Thanksgiving. The net proceeds of the auction ent tot the WWP, a Florida-based service organization for the awareness and aid of injured service members. “The primary theme of our culture of excellence applies to what the athletics program achieves in the classroom, in competition, and in our community,” said Athletics Director Derek van der Merwe. “When we talk about our community, Fort Campbell is a significant part of what makes this community great. This effort was to demonstrate how we have the power to transform our community through an act of honor and pride.”

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

“The sacrifices we made as far as timeouts are concerned certainly pales in comparison to those our friends at Fort Campbell have made. The kids would wear those 100 times over having extra timeouts. It is a strong indication of our support of Fort Campbell and the support we get from them in everyday life.” -Kirby Cannon, head football coach

AS PART OF MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY & TO HONOR THE TROOPS AT FORT CAMPBELL, THE AUSTIN PEAY FOOTBALL TEAM ELECTED TO WEAR CAMOUFLAGE JERSEYS, NOV. 8, 2014, AGAINST TENNESSEE STATE. PHOTO COURTSEY OF APSU PUBLIC RELATION & MARKETING

AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

PERFECT

1000

FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE SEASON THE WOMEN’S GOLF TEAM POSTED A PERFECT APR SCORE.

APSU WOMEN’S GOLF & VO L L E Y B A L L

teams posted the top marks among Ohio Valley Conference teams in their respective sports. 10

THE VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM RECORDED ITS SECOND 1,000 SINCE THE APR WAS CREATED IN 2004-05. Austin Peay’s men’s basketball (fourth, 962), women’s soccer (fourth, 988), men’s golf (fifth, 987) and women’s basketball (fifth, 979) programs also finished among the top half among OVC teams in their respective sports. CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

AUSTIN PEAY STATE UNIVERSITY

ATHLETIC TEAMS

maintained their progress or showed improvement in the latest release of the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rates (APR).

7 TEAMS POSTED THEIR HIGHEST APR MARK IN PROGRAM HISTORY

GOVERNORS FOOTBALL TEAM (954) was the 2 ND HIGHEST RATED TEAM among OVC football-playing institutions.

BASEBALL

MEN’S & WOMEN’S GOLF WOMEN’S SOCCER WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD VOLLEYBALL

AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

4.0’S MAKE THE GRADE

BY COLBY WILSON

IT’S REALLY HARD TO EARN Landon makes it look easy. That seems STRAIGHT A’S IN COLLEGE, to be the key. regardless who you are. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. The people that graduated magna cum laude – 4.0 GPA all the way through – made up about 10 percent of the overall graduates at Austin Peay’s Spring 2014 commencement. People are able to do it have a level of perseverance, dedication, time-management and natural intelligence that is nothing short of phenomenal.

“I’ve just worked hard,” she said with a shrug. “Even during the stressful times, I’ve just kept working. I know what it takes to get an ‘A’ and I know that I can do it – anything less just isn’t acceptable to me.” There’s a lot atypical about the lifestyle of a student-athlete, with travel being at the top of that list. Lots of class time can be missed, and student-athletes either have to play catch up or get ahead on their schoolwork in order to keep pace with the rest of the class.

Now add sports to the mix – games, practices, training, film, hour-upon-hour demands when you’ve already got to devote so much time to class and studying The grind can be wearing. Juggling all anyway. Should be impossible, but noth- the aspects of student-athlete life can be ing is impossible, which is why a couple tiring, especially with so little free time. of upperclassmen on Austin Peay State But that’s kind of the point – not everyone gets the opportunity to be a Division University athletic I athlete. It takes a squads carried 4.0 special kind of per“I’VE JUST GPA’s through the son to succeed at it. WORKED HARD... end of the Spring 2015 semester. EVEN DURING THE All coaches want their athletes to STRESSFUL TIMES, The most impresdo well in the sive resume’ beI’VE JUST KEPT classroom. Highlongs to senior vollighting academWORKING. leyball player Liz ics can have the I KNOW WHAT IT Landon. Nearing trickle-down efcompletion of her TAKES TO GET AN ‘A’ fect of pushing aldegree in health ready -ambitious & I KNOW THAT and human perforathletes into chalmance, Landon has I CAN DO IT. lenging one another been awarded nearoutside the field of ANYTHING LESS ly every academic competition as well. JUST ISN’T honor available at the regional (CapiACCEPTABLE TO ME.” “Coach (Ross) Brown tal One CoSIDA Acreally emphasizes - LIZ LANDON ademic All-District), academic achieveconference (OVC ments and getting Academic Medal of a good GPA,” said Honor) and university (Governors Club Acsophomore Brittney Covington. “He really ademic Achievement Scholarship). Callwants us to do well. Since everybody else ing that an impressive body of work is a (on the team) has a high GPA, it pushes me massive understatement. to maintain a high GPA and not slack off.”

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

A DEPARTMENT-RECORD

S T U D E N T- AT H L E T E S E A R N E D

4.0

GRADE-POINT AV E RAG E S DURING THE SPRING 2015 SEMESTER.

159

STUDENT-ATHLETES NAMED TO THE SPRING 2015

ATHLETICS DIRECTOR’S HONOR ROLL,

REPRESENTING MORE THAN HALF

52.3 %

STUDENT-ATHLETES WERE NAMED TO

AUSTIN PEAY’S DEAN’S LIST.

OF THE DEPARTMENT’S STUDENT-ATHLETES.

OF THE DEPARTMENT’S TEAMS HAD AT LEAST ONE STUDENT-ATHLETE POST A

4.0 GPA

AND RECEIVE THE CORRESPONDING

PRESIDENT’S LIST RECOGNITION.

FIVE TEAMS – FOOTBALL, BASEBALL WOMEN’S SOCCER , VOLLEYBALL AND MEN’S TENNIS – EACH HAD

FOUR STUDENT-ATHLETES NAMED TO THE PRESIDENT’S LIST.

OF THE DEPARTMENT’S A 3.0

ASHE HONORS Eleven Austin Peay student-athletes were named to the 2015 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholars Teams as selected by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education Magazine. Jada Stotts was honored for the third time to cap her stellar career at Austin Peay, while Breigh Jones picked up her second honor in as many years from the publication. Juniors Kymmalett Ross and Jennifer Nwokocha were joined by sophomores Chancis Jones and Unjula Lester and seniors Erika Adams, Jessica Gray, Serigne Mboup, Zavion Williams and Bradford Wilmer as first-time recipients of the honor. To be recognized, students must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 or higher through the fall of 2014, completed one full academic year at the nominating institution, be enrolled for the fall term of the academic year being nominated, be an active member of an intercollegiate athletic team during the 2014-15 year and have a record of campus or community service.

TEAMS POSTED

GPA FOR THE SEMESTER,

LED BY THE WOMEN’S TENNIS TEAM WHICH POSTED A 3.50 GPA. 3 OF THE TEAM’S 6 MEMBERS WERE NAMED TO THE DEAN’S LIST, INCLUDING 2 THAT RECEIVED PRESIDENT’S LIST HONORS. AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

TURN OVER BY BRAD KIRTLEY

FIRST WIN AT GOVERNORS STADIUM! Freshman Jared Beard caught three touchdown passes from fellow freshman Mickey Macius while a third freshman, Otis Gerron, ran for 137 yards as Austin Peay ended the nation’s longest Football Championship Subdivision losing streak at 18 games when the Governors held off Murray State, 20-13, Oct. 18 in Governors Stadium The Governors previous win came against Tennessee Tech, Nov. 17, 2012. It also was second-year coach Kirby Cannon’s first win as Governor mentor. It was APSU’s first home win against Murray State since Nov. 23, 1991. 14

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

The Governors were able to record the victory by forcing five Murray State turnovers—three of the turnovers ended up in the hands of sophomore cornerback Rod Owens. It was APSU’s first forced turnovers since Week 2 against Chattanooga. The Govs turned those turnovers into two touchdowns while the Racers were only able to manufacture two field goals off two APSU turnovers. APSU actually took its season’s first lead in the second quarter as a result of a turnover. Rod Owens picked off KD Humphries, the reigning FCS Offensive Player of the Week, at the APSU 31 and returned it 39 yards to Murray State 30. On the next play, Macius hooked up with Beard for their first of three scores—a spectacular catch just inside the right pylon at the goal line. As a result, APSU also was able to take its first halftime (7-3) lead since the 2012 Tennessee Tech contest. After Murray State regained momentum and the lead to open the second half, the Govs responded. Macius again found his fellow freshman to give APSU a 13-10 advantage. That proved to be a lead the Govs would not relinquish. Owens fell on a muffed punt return at the Murray State 20-yard line. After a pass from Macius to Gerron pushed the ball to the Racers 14, Macius found Beard, who made a leaping fingertip grab on a fade route in the end zone’s left quarter to give APSU a 20-10 advantage. After that the Govs defense held Murray State to one field-goal attempt the rest of the way. Senior cornerback Montez Carlton forced a Racer fumble deep in APSU territory after a completion late in the fourth quarter. With Murray State out of time outs, Gerron then put the game away with a 41-yard run to the Murray State 22, although it wasn’t as simple as that. Cannon, in fact, had to call timeout when his club could not line up properly in the victory formation— it had been a while (700 days) since the Govs tasted victory. Macius finished the contest 18 of 22 passing for 235 yards and no interceptions. The 82 percent passing was the Govs’ first 80 percent passing effort since Jesse Kellogg completed 87.5 percent (21 of 24) of his passes against Kentucky Wesleyan, Sept. 27, 2003, during the non-scholarship era.

TRIO EARN

HAMPSHIRE SOCIETY HONORS

Three Austin Peay football players are part of the 2015 National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society, recognizing college football players from all divisions who maintain a 3.2 GPA or better. Punter Ben Campbell, wide receiver Hunter Branch and h-back/tight end Jacob Sexton were among the 817 players from 278 schools in the program’s ninth year honoring the nation’s most distinguished seniors. Qualifications for membership in the NFF National Honor Society include: being a starter or a significant substitute in one’s last year of eligibility at a NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III, or an NAIA college or university; achieving a 3.2 cumulative gradepoint average throughout entire course of undergraduate study, and meeting all NCAA-mandated progress toward degree requirements.

Defensively, Owens had two interceptions, a fumble recovery and seven tackles.

AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

DAVID MIDLICK 10TH HEAD COACH

AUSTIN PEAY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL IN THE MODERN ERA

MIDLICK

QUICK ON THE MARK AT APSU He’s stalked these sidelines before. Worn the red and white, held practices in the Dunn Center, battled Ohio Valley Conference foes from Eastern Kentucky to Southeast Missouri and everyone in between. BY COLBY WILSON

NOW

David Midlick is the head coach of Austin Peay women’s basketball – the 10th head coach in the modern era. It will be the third go-round for Midlick in Clarksville – he got his collegiate start under Dave Loos in 2003 and returned as an assistant on the women’s side in 2010 before leaving for his first head coaching job at Delta State in 2012. And after a one-year stint with Memphis, Midlick’s back at Austin Peay again. “Some places just feel right and become special to you,” Midlick said. “When Leslie and I moved here in 2003, it was just a great move for us and our then-six and three-year olds. It felt right from the day we moved here. There was never a day I was here working that if I asked for some help or something was needed that someone didn’t lend a helping hand. “I really respect this place and its people. I like the community and the city and I like the fact that women’s basketball and athletics are important to this community and this campus.” Midlick knows the community’s expectations surrounding Austin Peay hoops are always high. As a staffer when the men’s basketball team ran the OVC regular-season table in 2003-04, he’s seen first-hand the galvanizing effect it can have on the city. That passion and energy – largely dormant since the last Lady Govs basketball championship in 2010 – are necessary to breathing life into a program. As the new coach, Midlick understands the responsibility of bringing that excitement back to the fans. “They (the fans) support the team and the young women on it,” he said. “They’re looking forward to watching them and I think they want to see a team they know is competing at 100 percent and competing as a team and representing the university well.” In filling out his coaching staff and beginning the recruiting process, the new head coach

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

can build the program in whatever image he sees fit. For Midlick, hard work goes a long way toward success, on the court and on the sidelines. “You want three (coaches) that are going to do the jobs I want them to do and are going to have the values and integrity that this program has and this university has,” he said of his coaching hires (Kayla Oxenrider, Chelsea Turner and

the Year Tiasha Gray, who eclipsed the 1,000-point barrier during her junior campaign. It’s not just Gray, however, as Austin Peay’s talented post-playing quintet of Jennifer Nwokocha, Tearra Banks, Beth Rates, Brianne Alexander and Sydney Gooch will be back to solidify the front line. Combined, they averaged 34.7 points and 24.0 rebounds per game last season –

“I really respect this place and its people. I like the community and the city and I like the fact that women’s basketball and athletics are important to this community and this campus.” Tessa Holt). “I want people that are going to be about team, about having a great attitude and about effort, who will want to compete and be tough. If I’m going to ask our team to do that, I’m going to ask the same of myself and my staff. They have to be able to be trusted by our players but maintain a professional relationship with them. Twenty-four hours a day, they have to represent Austin Peay the right way, with integrity, and they have to show our team the way. “Toughness and a motor are key,” he said of potential recruits. “Obviously, they have to have a certain skill set to compete at Division I, but it’s hard to coach effort every day. They have to play hard all the time. They have to be tough as well, play hard when they’re tired. Players that can score in the second half or talk on defense in the second half, you notice that as a coach when you go out to high school or JuCO or AAU events. And I have to know they have been coached – it doesn’t have to be my style, but I have to know they can take coaching.”

49.4 percent of the Lady Govs team scoring and 62.3 percent of their rebounds. Madison Rich, April Rivers, Jacey Scott and Symantha Norton also return to form the core of Midlick’s 2015-16 squad. “It’s a team that can score the basketball,” Midlick said. “They’ll play hard. My concentration at Memphis and Delta State was on the defensive end, and I want to work on that with them. I was impressed with them as a team when I saw them at Memphis.” In the long run, Midlick wants to build something that will stand up through the years. He knows that social media, video and a strong on-line presence are keys to the future and has embraced those tools head-on. In the right place, with the right people involved, Midlick believes he can make Austin Peay one of the premiere schools in the area.

“Toughness and a motor are key.... They have to play hard all the time.... They have to be tough as well, play hard when they’re tired....”

The future looks appealing, but it’s the present that may have Austin Peay fans excited sooner rather than later. With just one starter gone from last season’s squad that qualified for the OVC Tournament for the first time since 2012, Midlick’s first Austin Peay team has plenty of experience returning, led by 2015 OVC Defensive Player of

“Long-term, I want to build a championship-level program on the court and in the classroom and build community support,” he said. “We want to be a team that other teams don’t want to face.”

AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

BAKER GOES LOW BAKER PUT HIS NAME INTO THE APSU RECORD BOOK WITH THE LOWEST 18-HOLE SCORE IN SCHOOL HISTORY. BY COREY ADAMS

CHRIS BAKER stood on the 13th green at the Silver Lakes Golf Course in Glencoe, Ala., staring at a downhill 50-foot putt for birdie. With a 20-foot break, it’s one of those you just want to get close enough to salvage a par without being too aggressive. But with everything going his way through 12 holes, sitting at 7-under with three consecutive birdies made, the putt was destined to fall. And it did just that. “I was like, ‘This is ridiculous,’” Baker said. “It got to the point where I was hitting good putts and they were going in every time. That doesn’t come around very often.” The same can be said about school records being broken. With an 11-under 61 on Monday, March 23, Baker put his name into the Austin Peay record books with the lowest 18-hole score in school

history. Previously, Yoshio Yamamoto, Erik Barnes and his former teammate Dustin Korte held the lowest round ever at 64. Baker, whose previous career-low round was 64, also set the course record on a day when conditions were near-perfect, and once he found his groove, his scorecard would later be framed in the clubhouse with his signature on it. “I felt really comfortable on that golf course and I was able to swing the club freely and be more aggressive towards the holes,” he said. “It gave me a lot of chances to make birdies. The putter simply got hot. I put good strokes on each putt, and they happened to go in the hole every single time.” Baker made a remarkable 12 birdies on the day with just one bogey, which came on the ninth hole. Bogeys can be a momentum killers for a lot of golfers, but with his score sitting at 6-under through eight

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

holes, he says it actually didn’t affect his mentality. Instead, the junior went on to have just 20 total putts over the course of 18 holes, an extraordinary number. But even though his putter was on fire, two shots he’ll remember most came when approaching the green. After his birdie on the 13th hole, Baker hit a fat iron shot on the Par3 to follow, with his ball landing against the lip of a bunker. With 20 yards to the flagstick, Baker stayed calm and ran it less than a foot away from the hole to eventually make par. Three holes later, on the Par-5 16th hole, he pulled a 3-iron out of bag with the cup 230 yards away. Despite an uphill shot, Baker smashed it to within 20 to 25 feet, where he would then two-putt for an easy birdie. “I didn’t let myself falter,” Baker said. “That’s where I felt I was really on my game and everything was working.”

“I FELT REALLY COMFORTABLE ON THAT GOLF COURSE AND I WAS ABLE TO SWING THE CLUB FREELY & BE MORE AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS THE HOLES. IT GAVE ME A LOT OF CHANCES TO MAKE BIRDIES. THE PUTTER SIMPLY GOT HOT. I PUT GOOD STROKES ON EACH PUTT, AND THEY HAPPENED TO GO IN THE HOLE EVERY SINGLE TIME.”-CHRIS BAKER

But golf is an unpredictable game, and unfortunately for Baker, he was unable to maintain his 36-hole lead going into the final round on Tuesday. The lefty recorded an 11-over 83 to finish tied for sixth overall, a disappointing ending to an historic two days, but also a learning experience. “After playing that well, knowing you played your very best, you have to realize the job’s not done yet,” Baker said. “I needed to focus on making pars instead of birdies, because if I made pars, I could have easily won that golf tournament. I’ve never been in that position before with a 36-hole lead in a college golf tournament. It may have been just one of those bad days, but the way it started, the mindset wasn’t where it should be to win the golf tournament.” However, with the way this season started for Baker, he’s just fortunate to have

AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

the ability to play again. Prior to the start of spring classes, Baker contracted mononucleosis, which forced him to miss the first tournament of the year in February. He returned in mid-March, but his body wasn’t at 100 percent to compete at a high level. “It was definitely tough,” he said. “I had it all through the month and I wasn’t able to qualify for the first tournament. I couldn’t get out of bed for two weeks, and I lost nine pounds and felt very weak. As soon as I got healthy, I started working out again to put some weight back on and went back to eating normal food.” Coming into the Grub Mart Invitational, Baker felt back to his normal self, and it showed with a celebrated round—a round that easily could stand the test of time in the Golf Govs record book.

DURING HER recruiting process, some schools told Olberding that she would not be able to pursue nursing and maintain a high level of success on the track. Not so; Olberding carries a 3.37 grade-point average in one of Austin Peay’s toughest programs and balances that as one of the conference’s top hurdlers. The secret to that success is actually no secret at all.

Olberding RUNS WITH PURPOSE

A relentless worker, Natalie Olberding’s Austin Peay career saw her earn silver at the 2013 OVC Championships and qualify first in the 400m hurdles in 2014, but she slipped to fourth in the finals to finish just off the podium – a situation she no doubt used to fuel the early-morning workouts, especially after late-nights studying or long days working clinicals as part of the Austin Peay nursing program, on her way to bronze at this year’s outdoor championships. BY COLBY WILSON

“I was raised to work hard,” she said. “I’m not the fastest girl on our team by any means; I’m a blue-eyed blonde girl from Iowa competing against a lot of faster people. But I work really hard and I feel like God’s blessed me and the work I’ve put in. I think my determination and willingness to put in the extra time helps me the most. And it’s hard sometimes – people in the nursing program have jobs and I’m like, ‘Track is my job.’”

RAISED IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA, Olberding’s work ethic derives from her upbringing as the daughter of Bernie and Julie Olberding. However, her life was upended Thanksgiving weekend, 2013, with the sudden and shocking loss of her mother. “They don’t know exactly what happened,” Natalie said. “But she was walking down the stairs and they don’t know if she fell and tripped and hit her head or if she had an aneurysm or a stroke before and that’s what caused her to fall, but my dad found her unconscious and took her to the ER. They said she had a lot of bleeding around the brain and that she wasn’t going to make it. “I was here for Thanksgiving and wasn’t planning on going home and my roommate, being an angel, drove me from here to Iowa, which is an 11-hour drive. I was hoping to make it (before she passed away) but we were an hour short.” A sudden loss like that would change anyone. For Natalie, she’s gained an appreciation for her life and the knowledge that it can all change instantly. “Ever since that happened, I try not to take anything for granted,” she said. “Things can be taken away from you so fast. Like right now, I’m a senior and I really want to enjoy my time here and I want to focus 100 percent on this time and not focus too much on the future yet.” DURING A DARK PERIOD IN HER LIFE, Natalie’s Austin Peay family was a source of strength for her. Doug Molnar and Valerie Brown allowed her the space and time to grieve on her terms and did not pressure her to return to competition 20

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

GRANT LEAVER, ED BUNIO, BOB BRADLEY INDUCTED INTO APSU’S ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME

“I WAS RAISED TO WORK HARD...” or training, eschewing demands of performance for compassionate understanding. “One of the big things I always tell recruits is that our coaches really care about us as people,” Olberding said. “Going through that whole grieving process, they were so understanding and caring. I’m really thankful for them because I couldn’t have done it without them being so understanding.” Olberding peppers our conversation with references to God, and treasures her walk with the Lord now more than ever. Her relationship with God helped her through the tough times, as did her local church family in Clarksville at Bethel Church.

“ONE OF THE BIG THINGS I ALWAYS TELL RECRUITS IS THAT OUR COACHES REALLY CARE ABOUT US AS PEOPLE.” IN FACT, OLBERDING TOOK A MISSION TRIP to Bolivia with the church last summer, a medical trip with doctors and nursing students. The trip was eye-opening to Olberding for how nice we have it here at home.

One of the greatest Golf Governors in Austin Peay State University history plus a former football standout who returned to his alma mater to help guide the program to its only Ohio Valley Conference title were inducted into the APSU Athletics Hall of Fame, Saturday Jan. 31, 2015 in a breakfast ceremony in the Dunn Center’s Hall of Fame lobby. In addition, a former superb basketball player from Austin Peay’s small college era was enshrined as part of the Hall of Fame’s Honors category. Grant Leaver, a two-time All-Ohio Valley Conference honoree who won five individual championships and played in the 2008 NCAA East Regional; Ed Bunio, a two-way player who was an All-OVC offensive tackle for the 1964 8-1-1 club and later was the architect for 1977 Governors’ championship defense, have been elected to APSU Athletics Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, Bob Bradley, who was a key member of two College Division NCAA teams in 1960-61, was chosen as this year’s Honors inductee.

“It was cool to get that experience in a third-world country and be able to appreciate what God’s given us in America,” she said. “Kids don’t have shoes, the water is bad – we tried to teach them a lot about boiling water and doing what they can to stay healthy.”

AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

HONOREES

“IT’S A VERY NICE HONOR TO RECEIVE AND ONE THAT DOES NOT COME EASILY. A COACH ONLY GETS RECOGNITION LIKE THIS BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM, AND IT REFLECTS WELL ON ALL OF THEM.” -ROSS BROWN, HEAD TENNIS COACH

BROWN EARNS WELL-DESERVED RECOGNITION

Ross

Brown, in his third season coaching at Austin Peay, led the Govs to a 12-7 overall record and a 7-2 mark in OVC play. He is the first Govs head coach to earn an OVC Coach of the Year since Malik Tabet earned the award for coaching the women’s team in 2010. The last men’s coach to win the award, prior to Brown, was Lou Weiss in 1988.

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

APSU TENNIS TOPS IN SPORTSMANSHIP

ustin Peay men and women’s tennis teams earned the 2014-15 Ohio Valley Conference Team Sportsmanship Awards for tennis. Voted on by the student-athletes and coaches of the respective sports, the team awards are bestowed upon the Conference squads deemed to have best exhibited the standards of sportsmanship and ethical behavior as outlined by the OVC and NCAA. Included in the areas for evaluation are the conduct of student-athletes, coaches, staff and administrators and fans.

“WITHOUT SPORTSMANSHIP THERE ARE TRULY NO MEANINGFUL VICTORIES,” - BETH DEBAUCHE, OVC COMMISSIONER “Without sportsmanship there are truly no meaningful victories,” said Beth DeBauche, OVC Commissioner. “The recipients of the OVC Team Sportsmanship awards should accept this award with great pride for their fellow competitors have made it clear their teams exemplify the best in intercollegiate athletics. In receiving this prestigious honor other competitors are saying these student-athletes compete with class, respect their opponents and value fair play. That is quite a compliment as those are all traits that will lead to true victories throughout the course of life.”

AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

D I SA LVO GOES BACK-TO-BACK

enior Ornella Di Salvo, of the Austin Peay womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tennis team, was named to the Ohio Valley Conference all-conference second team for the second consecutive year.

A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Di Salvo was 9-11 during the spring campaign, posting a 5-5 conference mark at No. 1 singles. Di Salvo finished her season by winning her last three matches in straight sets. Teaming with fellow senior Vanessa Tavares, Di Salvo went 9-5 at No. 1 doubles and gained wins in their final two matches of the spring.

RISTOVSKI & TVERIJONAS CAP CAREERS WITH FOURTH STRAIGHT ALL-OVC NODS

or the fourth consecutive year, Dimitar Ristovski & Aleksas Tverijonas took home postseason honors from the Ohio Valley Conference.

Ristovski, a native of Skopje, Macedonia, posted a 14-8 mark at No. 1 singles, including a 5-4 record in conference play in 2015. At No. 1 doubles he partnered with fellow senior Iago Seffrin to compile an impressive 5-1 record in OVC play. In headto-head singles action, he defeated three players who earned All-OVC honors this season. Over his four-year career, Ristovski has compiled a 64-29 career record, with a 26-8 mark in OVC play. Tverijonas posted a 15-10 record overall at No. 2 singles, including a 7-1 OVC record. The Lithuanian-bred Tverijonas partnered with sophomore Aaron Jumonville in doubles to compile a 4-1 OVC record at the No. 2 slot. Tverijonas is 72-26 in singles during his four years, including a 30-3 mark in OVC play. He closed out his spring campaign by winning 11 of his last 12 singles matches. 24

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

GRAY

EARNS PROGRAM’S FIRST DEFENSIVE POY HONOR

unior guard Tiasha Gray was named Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-OVC for her work during the 2014-15 campaign. The Clarksville native became the first Austin Peay player to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors since the award’s inception following the 2008-09 season. She led the conference and the nation with 3.76 steals per game and her 109 total steals not only smashed the previous school record (85) set by Tracie Mason in 1989-90, but is third most in OVC history as well, behind only Eastern Kentucky’s Angie Cox (113, 1991-92) and Teresa McNair (131, 2002-03).

AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

FABBRO’S

SEVEN GOALS EARN HER ALL-OVC STATUS

ustin Peay sophomore Gina Fabbro was named second-team All-Ohio Valley Conference for the 2014 season. The Coquitlam, British Columbia, native enjoyed a sophomore campaign just as exemplary as her freshman effort, leading the Lady Govs in scoring with seven goals, tying her first-year mark aznd equaling the sixth-best single-season scoring effort in school history. Fabbro did much of her work in OVC play, scoring five goals against conference opponents (tied for fourth in the league) and totaling 11 points (tied for seventh). She started conference play with a bang, netting her season’s lone multi-goal outing in the Lady Govs OVC-opener against Eastern Kentucky. Her season’s final goal in the season finale against Belmont was another milestone – it was her 14th career tally, tying her with Jessica Hosse (2004-07) and Emily Perkins (2011-12) for fourth all-time in Austin Peay history. She also equaled Hosse with 33 points, good for sixth all-time in scoring. 26

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

ROBLES COPELAND & GRAY DOUBLE 1ST-TEAM ALL-OVC PICK,

2ND-TEAM HONORS

ophomore Alex Robles, of the Austin Peay baseball team, was twice named first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference in a vote of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.

In addition to Robles’ double-honor, sophomore second baseman Garrett Copeland and third baseman Logan Gray were named second-team All-OVC. Robles, of Tucson, Arizona, becomes the first baseball player in league history to receive multiple first-team honors in the same season. He was named to the first team as both a utility player and starting pitcher. Robles started at all four infield positions during the 2015 season, served as the team’s designated hitter for the bulk of the year and was the Govs’ No. 1 starting pitcher during the entirety of OVC play. In 50 games, Robles made five starts at first base, two at second base, one at shortstop and four at third base. He also compiled 37 starts at designated hitter and made 11 starts on the mound. Offensively, Robles batted .328 with 12 doubles, three home runs and 39 runs batted in. He compiled a .406 on-base percentage thanks to 21 walks and six times hit by pitch. Robles started all 30 OVC contests, finishing the campaign with a .312 batting average, three home runs & 22 RBI. On the mound, the Govs No. 1 starter finished with a 6-3 record and 3.31 earned-run average – finishing third in victories and second in ERA. He ended the year with 84.1 innings pitched – equaling his freshman year output – and had 65 strikeouts while allowing just 17 walks. Robles also made five relief appearances during the year, finishing with three saves. Robles, who was a second-team All-OVC pick and OVC Rookie of the Year last season, posted a 6-3 record and 3.61 ERA in 11 OVC appearances and amassed three complete game outings in league action. He

compiled a 4-2 record against the six teams that qualified for the OVC Baseball Championship, finishing with a 4.01 ERA in those six starts. Copeland, of Bartlett, was the Govs third-leading batter with a .345 batting average, while posting 15 doubles and 29 RBI. He also led APSU with 36 walks, a .463 on-base percentage and 18 stolen bases. It was a major step forward for the Govs sophomore, who improved his numbers across the board – posting a 117-point improvement in batting average, a 101-point improvement in on-base percentage and a 188-point jump in slugging percentage. In addition to his offensive improvement, Copeland also made large strides defensively. He finished the year with just three errors in 235 chances. His .987 fielding percentage as a sophomore was 49-point improvement versus his freshman campaign. Gray, of Leawood, Kansas, may have played just 38 games this season and only 21 OVC contests but made a major impact in that limited time. He led the Govs with a .366 batting average, 14 home runs and tied with Robles for the team lead with 39 RBI. Gray’s 14 home runs came in his final 22 games before suffering a season-ending hand injury, April 24, against Morehead State. Much like Copeland, Gray improved his offensive output in nearly every way – a 117-point batting average jump, a 143-point improvement in on-base percentage and an impressive 301-point leap in slugging percentage. A semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy for National Player of the Year, Gray also led the Govs in OVC play with a .353 batting average, 10 home runs and again was tied with Robles with 22 RBI.

AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

STOTTS & SLAY OVC HONOREES

utside hitters Jada Stotts and Ashley Slay of the volleyball team were recognized with postseason honors at the OVC Volleyball Championship banquet. Stotts, of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, was named to the All-OVC squad – the seventh consecutive season an Austin Peay player was named to the league’s top team. Stotts finished the regular season with 397 kills and 396 digs – her 3.52 kills per set ranking third among league hitters and her 3.50 digs per set ranking ninth.

She was twice named the league’s Player of the Week, earning the Sept. 22 and 29 honors. Slay, of Nashville, was named to the league’s All-Newcomer squad. She finished her rookie year with 169 kills, including a season-best 13 kills against Jacksonville State, Nov. 1. Slay also had 61 blocks during the season, recording a season-best eight in that same Jacksonville State match.

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

ARENS & BAKER

GARNER OVC ACCLAIM

unior Chris Baker, who shattered the Austin Peay single-round record with a 61 earlier this spring, was named All-Ohio Valley Conference. Meanwhile, freshman Justin Arens, who elevated his play down the stretch while playing in all spring events, was selected to the OVC All-Newcomer team. Those awards were announced at the OVC Awards banquet. Baker, the Franklin native, entered the OVC tournament leading the Govs with a 73.50 strokes-per-round average while owning a 73.3 winning percentage in 10 events. He authored 12 rounds this season of par or better, including five rounds in the 60s—he shot 69 in the OVC tournament’s opening round. That was highlighted by the 61, March 14, in the second round of the Grub Mart Intercollegiate at the Silver Lakes Golf Club in Glencoe, Ala. The lefty saw his spring get off to a slow start when he was forced to miss the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate because of mononucleosis. Since then his strength has gradually improved as has his game. In addition to his 61 at the Grub Mart, most recently he finished 3-under par in the Coca-Cola Wofford Invitational with a 3-under 213. Overall, he had three Top 10 finishes during the season and had 25 rounds count out of 27 played. It is the 15th straight year APSU has seen a golfer earn All-OVC honors. Baker also earned OVC all-tournament honors after finishing fifth in this year’s championship. “I am really proud of Chris to see him honored,” APSU coach Robbie Wilson said. “It shows where he has come as a player. The coaches in the conference recognized he is one of the best in the conference and someone who other teams have to look out for and fear. He has the ability to go really low.” Arens, meanwhile, played in 9 of 11 tournaments this season, including all six spring events. The Columbus, Ohio, native owned a 74.8 scoring average over his final three regular-season tournaments entering the OVC championship, helping lower his overall scoring average to 75.84. He saw 19 rounds counted out of 25 played this season, including 11 of his last 13. He shot seven rounds of par or better, including a season-best 5-under 67 in the second round of the OVC championships in Muscle Shoals, Ala. “Justin came a long way in the last four or five months,” Wilson said. “Being named to the All-Newcomer team is part of his progression. It’s the next step but not the final step, but he certainly deserves this honor.” AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

RECORD-SETTING

BURROUGHS

HONORED BY CONFERENCE

apping off an outstanding senior season on the softball field, Austin Peay’s Laurel Burroughs was named to the Ohio Valley Conference second-team. It was the first post-season conference selection for the Lebanon second baseman. Overall, Burroughs’ second-team selection is the first for the Lady Govs since Kayla Davidson in 2013 and the 16th overall second-team selection for Austin Peay since the OVC began all-conference selections in 1993. Burroughs ended her career batting .340 this season, with a team-best 49 hits, 37 runs scored, seven doubles, 10 home runs and 23 stolen bases. The 23 steals are a school single-season record and tops in the OVC this season -- the first time in the program’s history a Lady Gov has led the conference in that category. Her 37 runs are the fifth most single-season total in school history while the 10 home runs tied for the third-best Lady Govs single-season total.

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

TRIO of F

TRACK

STAND-OUTS REPRESENT APSU AT NCAA PRELIMS

or the first time since 2009, Austin Peay sent a trio of track and field standouts to May’s NCAA East Preliminaries in Jacksonville, Fla., the culmination of an excellent season for the Lady Govs track and field team. Three individuals – Junior Breigh Jones, sophomore Kaylnn Pitts and sophomore Chancis Jones – stood out so far that they advanced to the regional round – the fourth year in a row at least one Lady Gov has advanced to the preliminary round. Junior Breigh Jones, who broke the school 400m record during indoor season, advanced to the NCAA’s for the third time in as many seasons, finishing 28th overall thanks to her season-best 53.63 mark. Sophomore Kaylnn Pitts made her return to the NCAA level and became the first Lady Gov to pull double-duty when she competed in the long jump (26th, 5.85m) and narrowly missed advancing to the NCAA Championships in the triple jump with a 12.69m leap, finishing 14th overall. She also broke the school outdoor record in the triple jump with a 12.92m mark at the Memphis Invitational and now owns the top marks in APSU history in both the indoor and outdoor events. Sophomore Chancis Jones advanced to the regional level in the long jump, after she broke the school and Championship record at the OVC Outdoor Championships in May with a 6.29m leap. In her first NCAA Preliminary appearance, Jones finished 30th in the long jump with a 5.79m mark. Pitts and Jones were each accorded honors from the Ohio Valley Conference for their exemplary work in 2015. Pitts earned OVC Outdoor Co-Female Field Athlete of the Year honors, while Jones earned Track Athlete of the Year honors. Seven school records fell for Austin Peay during the 2014-15 season, including two set by senior Erika Adams (60m dash indoor and 100m dash outdoor). The Lady Govs parlayed their successes in 2014 into continued improvement in 2015, ending their team season with a third-place finish in the 2015 OVC Outdoor Championships, hosted at Governors Stadium, less than 10 points behind champion Tennessee State.

AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

GRAY & STAINBACK S H O O T PA S T 1 , 0 0 0

A pair of Lady Govs crossed the 1,000-point threshold during the 2014-15 season. Junior Tiasha Gray reached the mark Jan. 17 against Tennessee State and finished her third year in an Austin Peay uniform with 1,292 points â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10th-most in program history with a year to go in her Lady Govs career. Her teammate, Kristen Stainback, reached the milestone with her first bucket in the Lady Govs opening-round contest against SIU Edwardsville in the 2015 OVC Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basketball Tournament. She finished with 1,016 points for her APSU career, three behind former teammate Meghan Bussabarger for 16th all-time.

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

RECORD BREAKERS

HORTON’S

B LO C K PA R T Y Although Austin Peay junior center Chris Horton was bypassed for OVC honors—he was named first team by College Hoops Daily and second team by College Sports Madness—his 2014-15 season certainly left its mark and cannot be overlooked for multiple achievements by the lanky 6-8 Decatur, Georgia native. With five blocks in the Govs’ home finale against SIUE, Horton passed Josh Lewis (257, 2000-03) to become APSU’s all-time shot block leader and with his 262 career swats he is now second in OVC history behind Tennessee Tech’s Lorenzo Coleman (439, 1993-97). Also in that same game, Horton was credited with 20 rebounds, becoming the first Governor since Tyrone Beck (22, Feb. 5, 1994) to grab 20 or more rebounds in a game single. He led OVC in rebounding at 11.1 rpg, becoming the first Govs since Fernandez Lockett (2006-07) to do so. But in averaging 11.1 Horton became the first Governor to average double-figure rebounds since Tommy Brown averaged 11.9 rebounds in 1990-91. In fact, Horton, who averaged 13.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, became the first Gov to average a double-double since Brown averaged 17.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per outing during the 1990-91 season. In fact, Horton was the only Governor to average double-figure scoring in 2014-15. With 1043 points, Horton will enter his senior season in 27th place all-time in scoring. With 830 rebounds, he is third all-time behind Tom Morgan (1431, 1952-53, 5558) and Otis Howard (973, 1974-78). Horton ended 2014-15 ranked in APSU’S Top 20 of 11 different offensive, defensive and rebounding categories. AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

O CANADA A LOT OF SCHOOLS EXIST BETWEEN CLARKSVILLE AND THE CANADIAN BORDER. QUITE A FEW OF THEM HAVE DIVISION I SOCCER PROGRAMS. SO HOW DID FOUR CANUCKS WIND UP IN THE QUEEN CITY, WEARING THE RED-AND-WHITE OF AUSTIN PEAY?

BY COLBY WILSON

Much of the answer has to do with Kelley Guth, herself a native of Canada. Guth came to the states for a year of school at Florida State, then hung around and got into coaching. She started Austin Peay’s program in 2002 and has seen her share of Canadians come to town during that time – Samantha Northrup, Olivia Fournier and Claire Bennett being the most prominent. But for the most part, Guth’s Canadian imports have been spread out, never more than three on the roster in a given season. Never has she had a quartet, on the same roster, as talented as her current foursome – Nikki Filippone, Courtney Sheppard, Gina Fabbro and Sophia Fabbro. “Having the opportunity to use the connections I have, it’s been a great resource,” Guth said. “I think these players have worked out pretty well for us.”

When Filippone was a freshman, she hosted GINA FABBRO on the latter’s recruiting visit to Clarksville. In a way, it was fate – both later found out that had they not become teammates at Austin

sue going to the states,” Gina said. “I wanted the higher level of competition, but I also think everyone should get out of their comfort zone and try new things. Coach contacted me and I came right away, and within a month I was enrolled here.”

Fabbro’s decision paved the way for COURTNEY SHEPPARD. The two are long-time friends, “COLLEGIATE SOCCER IN THE and even though Sheppard started her college career at Langara STAT E S I S B I G G E R . . . outside of Vancouver, the opporT H E AT H L E T E S HAVE BETTER tunity appealed to her.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND ALL THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT STAFF WE HAVE ON THIS CAMPUS TO BE SUCCESSFUL... IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE SOMEPLACE WHERE SOCCER AND ATHLETICS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CAMPUS CULTURE.” -KELLEY GUTH

Despite the Canada connection, NIKKI FILIPPONE was actually first seen by assistant coach Jeremy Sullivan at a showcase in Indiana when she was a high school freshman, and through keeping tabs over the years she was convinced that Austin Peay would be her collegiate home. Originally, Filippone thought she would be more comfortable closer to home in Ontario. But her visit convinced her to give Clarksville a try. “I felt more comfortable when I visited here than I had been at other places,” she said. “I was more of a homebody. Toward the end 34

of my junior year, I realized I had to leave home if I wanted to play at this level.”

Peay and stayed in Canada, they probably would’ve been teammates anyway at Dalhousie in Halifax, Nova Scotia. An injury robbed Fabbro of most of her senior prep season, and she fell through the cracks a bit. The elder Fabbro didn’t play her first eligible fall, and came to Austin Peay the spring before her freshman season. Similar to Filippone, she knew pretty quickly that Clarksville would be the place for her. “At some point, I decided I wanted to purCULTURE of EXCELLENCE

“Not a lot of people get those opportunities,” Sheppard said. “Where I’m from, if you want to play in the states, you have to look for it – you have to search for the schools you want to go to, because there’s not a ton of recruitment things we can go to. I always wanted to play college soccer when I was younger, but I didn’t know where that was going to be or when. I couldn’t pass it up.

“The opportunities in Canada are different. For the most part, there’s no Division I. I played in a college league in British Columbia (at Langara), and it’s just not the level of play that we have down here.” Sheppard had the advantage of collegiate soccer experience before coming to Austin Peay, but the step up in competition provided a steep learning curve, even after earning Pac West Rookie of the Year

“My first year here was a huge step up “Everything is a big deal here in college pard and her sister, she hails from the because of the commitment,” she said. sports,” Fabbro echoed. “We’re treated Vancouver area – Guth grew up in Delta and first went to school at Simon “Athletes are treated differentFraser in Burnaby, suburbs of Vanly here – the league I was in, it couver, and maintains plenty of wasn’t nearly as serious as it is “I FELT MORE COMFORTABLE contacts in the soccer community. here. When you’re here, school WHEN I VISITED HERE THAN I To the younger Fabbro, the opporand soccer is everything you’re doHAD BEEN AT OTHER PLACES... tunity to play Division I ball with her ing. There’s more structure.” I WAS MORE OF A HOMEBODY. sister was too good to pass up. Guth believes the atmosphere and TOWARD THE END OF “I wanted to play Division I soccer opportunities at a Division I are a MY JUNIOR YEAR, with my sister and Courtney and huge selling point when she talks I REALIZED I WANTED TO get a really good education,” Soto Canadian kids about their colLEAVE HOME IF I WANTED phia said. “I was a little homesick in lege opportunities. TO PLAY AT THIS LEVEL.” the beginning, but it’s nice having three Canadians around to lean on “Collegiate soccer in the states -NIKKI FILIPPONE – they’ve been really helpful. And I is bigger,” she said. “The athletes really liked that Coach was Canadihave better scholarships and all an – it made me feel comfortable.” the resources and support staff we have on this campus to be success- so well here. Here my life is school and ful. It’s an opportunity to be someplace sport and everyone is involved in it – it’s The sisterly bond has been strong at Auswhere soccer and athletics are an im- like a job. Now, when I go home and tin Peay for a while now – Tatiana and Natalia Ariza and Andy and Joceline Quiportant part of the campus culture. have nothing to do, I get so bored.” ceno recently graduated as part of the There’s more attention paid to collegiate best senior class in Austin Peay history soccer here and I think they want to take advantage of the opportunity.” SOPHIA FABBRO is the young- after four stand-out seasons in Clarksest and the most recent addition, having ville. The Fabbros look likely to keep the joined the Lady Govs in 2014. Like Shep- trend of high-scoring, highly-successful sister acts going. ........continues on next page........

AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

O CA N ADA “When I got the opportunity to come here, I told her (Sophia) to send her resume and see it and if she likes it, it’s a chance to come here,” Gina said. “I’m glad it worked out. I’m excited. Playing with her up front is weird, because she’s always been defense, but it’s a good change and I’m excited.”

so they have to be stronger students in high school to meet those admission requirements.” The transition has been smooth – all four seemed to enjoy the southern hospitality of Tennessee (Gina in particular noted a fondness for barbecues, potlucks and tailgating – “People get together and eat more often here,” she said). And the weather, well…

Other than their athletic prowess, one thing that “It’s funny to me when we close school for snow,” stands out about the quartet is their intelligence. Filippone said. “That would NEVER happen in Each of the three upperclassmen boast well above Canada. The winters here are nothing – I don’t 3.0, and each was want to go home named to the OVC in the winter, it’s so “CANADA HAS BEEN Commissioner’s nice.” Honor Roll for the PRODUCING GOOD PLAYERS. 2013-14 year. They A LOT OF GIRLS I PLAYED Team Canada is thank Canada’s moving south – WITH ON MY CLUB TEAM ARE education system Guth added Amber PLAYING IN THE STATES NOW for that. Bateman and Jen-

FOR COLLEGE...”

nifer Smith from “My high school -SOPHIA FABRO Caledon, Ontario in prepared me pretthe 2015 signing ty well for universiclass. This group ty,” Filippone said. “I was instilled with fear about may just be the tip of the iceberg, and while socwhat university would be like. We were writing cer’s not quite at hockey-levels of popularity in 10-page papers to make sure we were ready for Canada, the sport has grown immeasurably. this kind of thing. My first semester of college, what we learned in my Anatomy and Physiology “Canada has been producing good players,” Soclass I had already learned in high school.” phia said. “A lot of girls I played with on my club “The education system in Canada prepares them very well academically for college,” Guth elaborated. “The entrance requirements are stricter,

team are playing in the states now for college, even in the south.”

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MALE LEGENDS AWARD ALEKSAS TVERIJONAS SENIOR, TENNIS FEMALE LEGENDS AWARD JADA STOTTS SENIOR,VOLLEYBALL MOST OUTSTANDING FEMALE ATHLETE BREIGH JONES JUNIOR, TRACK MOST OUTSTANDING MALE ATHLETE DIMITAR RISTOVSKI SENIOR, TENNIS

EXCELLENCE HONORED AT SPRING BANQUET Two Austin Peay tennis players who brought renown to the University on the courts and in the classroom were accorded some of the athletic department’s highest male honors, while a stand-out track and field student athlete and a do-it-all volleyball player won the honors on the women’s side at the annual APSU Athletics Awards Banquet. Senior Dimitar Ristovski, who parlayed his fourth consecutive All-OVC honor for Austin Peay men’s tennis into a spirited run to the OVC Championship match, took home APSU’s Most Outstanding Male Athlete honor. Junior Breigh Jones, a two-time NCAA Regional participant who broke school and Ohio Valley Conference records in the 400m dash, was named Most Outstanding Female Athlete. Aleksas Tverijonas, Ristovski’s teammate, took home Austin Peay’s Male Legends Award after a four-year career that saw him earn All-OVC honors in each season, an OVC Championship ring and a prestigious OVC Scholar-Athlete Award for the 2014-15 year. Jada Stotts, of the volleyball team, was awarded the Female Legends Award – Stotts, the Student-Athlete Advisory Council President for 2014-15, earned All-OVC honors as a senior and became the seventh member of Austin Peay’s “double-grand club” (1000 kills and digs) during her final season in Clarksville.

AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

STILL LOVING IT AFTER ALL THESE

YEARS BY COLBY WILSON

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS. A QUARTER OF A CENTURY.

induction into the Memphis M-Club Hall of Fame in 2002. For 10 years after graduating, Loos’ five-hit game against Bradley was still a single-game high and would stand to this day had it not been for a fortuitous outing against Delta State that provided three of Memphis’ top-hitting games ever – a game Memphis won 39-3. Loos’ basketball accolades may not look as impressive, but Loos impressed well enough to earn his first coaching gig out of school, as a graduate assistant for Moe Iba, who had coached him at Memphis from 1966-69.

T H AT ’ S H OW LO N G

DAVE LOOS HAS BEEN AT THE HELM OF AUSTIN PEAY

MEN’S BASKETBALL PROGRAM.

He’s seen it all, he’s done it all and spent a lot of time doing it with the dual yoke of responsibility that comes with being head coach and Athletics Director. That’s a tough job – jobs, actually.

In his office in the Dunn Center bowels, you can find a memory of just about every iconic moment at Austin Peay since 1990. A championship ring here, a banner there, photos (Reggie Crenshaw connecting on the game-winning free throws in the 1996 OVC championship contest; “The Block” in the OVC semifinals) and remembrances crammed into a corner of Room 178 serve as reminders of what’s been a whirlwind odyssey. To think this guy dreamt of becoming a baseball star once upon a time. The ‘Loos’ name was once more synonymous with success on the diamond. Loos was a stand-out baseball player at the University of Memphis, earning All-Missouri Valley Conference honors in 1969 and

Loos stayed in Memphis once his graduate assistantship was up, first as the junior high coach at Colonial and then as assistant basketball coach and head baseball coach at Christian Brothers College (now University) for four seasons. He landed back home at Mehlville High School as a 27-year old head men’s coach, coaching his alma mater for eight years before returning to CBU as the head men’s basketball – with the move from high school to college actually offering a sizable paycut.

And that led here. At the time, Loos had no way of knowing his stay at Austin Peay would span six (and counting) University Presidents, see the campus’ yearly enrollment increase by more than 4,000 or coach six (former assistant coach Bubba Wells, Nick Stapleton, Drake Reed, Wes Channels, Anthony Davis and Trenton Hassell) of the program’s top 10 career scorers. Loos himself is enshrined in the APSU Athletics Hall of Fame alongside Wells, Stapleton and Hassell. “I couldn’t have envisioned being here 25 years, but I never approached any job as a stepping stone,” Loos said. “I always approached each job like it was going to be one that I was going to have for a long time. When I was an assistant, I thought I wanted to be a head coach, but I never thought, ‘Alright, I’ll stay here for three years, then move to this level, then that level.’ It’s never been about money for me, although that is important. I treated each job like it was one I wanted to keep and needed to keep.

“There were pivotal points along the way here. I didn’t know I’d be here a long time until it got to being a long time (laughs). It’s all about timing and fit. There were times that I thought leaving would be an opportunity for change and I thought, ‘Man, that wouldn’t be very smart right now, because “I was at Ole Miss all of three months when we’ve got a pretty good group of people Larry Finch got the head coaching job at coming back.’ One of them is in the next ofMemphis (in the aftermath of the Dana Kirk fice (points in the direction of Wells’ office, scandal),” Loos said. “I had coached him as a which he still occupied at the time) – he was freshman when I was a grad assistant – this pretty good. There were other opportunities was before freshmen were allowed to play along the way and the issue was my family, varsity and I was that it wasn’t the the freshman team right time to be “IT’S ALL ABOUT coach. My family moving my kids. TIMING AND FIT... hadn’t even moved They were in a stage from Memphis yet.” in their life where IT’S NEVER BEEN ABOUT MONEY FOR ME, it was not the best “You hear all the thing to do.” ALTHOUGH time about coaching trees,” he conThe passing of time THAT IS IMPORTANT. tinued, recalling has left its mark I TREATED EACH JOB who he learned the with Loos, who has LIKE IT WAS ONE I most from on his seen college hoops WANTED TO KEEP AND transition from a way up. “I played for Iba, so he would state where freshNEEDED TO KEEP.” certainly be a big men couldn’t play influence on me. their first season to Bob Stephenson was my boss at Christian top-end freshmen never even seeing a secBrothers, coached me at Memphis and he ond year. Regardless of what generation was a huge influence. And I learned a lot he’s coaching, Loos has been around from Larry Finch, certainly.” .....continues on next page..... Wanting to break into Division I coaching, Loos left CBU again eight years later to take an assistant job at Ole Miss. He wasn’t out of Memphis long however – not even long enough to move his family.

AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

STILL LOVING IT AFTER 25 YEARS long enough to know that time has changed the name of the game.

a permanent replacement.

He would hold that post for 16 years. “I think players still want to be coached and disciplined, but the culture has changed,” “I knew nothing about being an athletic diLoos said. “I think summer basketball has rector, and some would say I didn’t when had a lot to do with that. Kids dedicate I stepped down either,” Loos said with a themselves to basketball only, more and chuckle. “But the AD here had resigned earlier than they and they asked me used to. When I if I was interested. “I’VE LEARNED IT’S was growing up, My first answer was NOT TO PAY TOO MUCH a question – can I everybody played all the sports. We continue being the ATTENTION TO ANYdidn’t have AAU coach? Coaching BODY, NO MATTER IF or summer basketis my passion, and THEY’RE TELLING YOU I’ve always known ball, so in the sumHOW GOOD YOU ARE mer we played basthat. They said, for ketball during the OR HOW BAD YOU ARE. a short time but day and baseball at that eventually I’d I’VE HAD PEOPLE TELL have to make a denight. Players speME TO DO THIS, DO cialize a lot earlier.” cision. That short time turned into 16 THAT, TIME FOR THIS, Loos is rolling now. TIME FOR THAT. IF YOU years.” He’s seen the game PAY TOO MUCH ATTEN- After 25 years at take on a life of its own, going from Austin Peay – and TION TO IT, YOU LOSE a way to pay for 45 roaming one FOCUS ON WHAT YOU college to a way sideline or anothSHOULD BE DOING.” to make millions. er – Loos isn’t just And he would like hanging on for a everyone to remember that’s not always paycheck or the opportunity to rack up how it works. 500 career wins. You have to have passion, ingrained in your DNA, to stay at it with “It’s all about the next level for a lot of any sort of sustained success. As five-time guys now,” he continued. “I can remem- OVC Coach of the Year, the conference’s ber the day when we walked into our first all-time wins leader and seven-time conteam meeting at Memphis, and I’m conference-championship winning coach, it’s vinced 14 guys in that room thought they safe to say he’s had a bit of success. were going to the NBA. We all grow up with dreams – I grew up thinking I was “I often have people ask me about their going to be the starting shortstop for the kids – ‘How do I know when they’re playCardinals. There’s nothing wrong with ing too much?’” he said. “My answer is, are that. But the game-changer used to be they having fun? Do they like it? That’s true getting a college degree and somewhere of me too. I still love what I’m doing, every along the line that has been pushed to the day. It has its moment, everything does. I backburner. EVERYBODY thinks they’re still enjoy what I’m doing, I still have the going to the NBA or Europe or they’ll just energy for it and I’m still having fun, so I play somewhere. A lot of people should don’t worry about it. Sometimes, I think focus on that NCAA advertisement you I’m supposed to be seeing things because see – 99 percent of us are going pro at of what other people think – another thing something other than sports.” I’ve learned is not to pay too much attention to anybody, no matter if they’re tellIt hasn’t all been basketball for Loos, of ing you how good you are or how bad you course. When Kaye Hart left her post as are. I’ve had people tell me to do this, do Athletics Director in 1997, Loos was ap- that, time for this, time for that. If you pay proached about becoming the interim too much attention to it, you lose focus on director until Dr. Sal Rinella could find what you should be doing.” 40

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

ANNUAL GROWTH Governors Club membership dues are used to directly enhance athletic programs and support alumni events in the following ways: scholarships, facility improvements, student-athlete welfare, including holiday meals and uniforms, enhancement of recruiting and team travel budgets, and alumni receptions and tailgate parties prior to APSU athletics events.

2013-14

$97,215.14 TOTAL FUNDS RAISED

292 TOTAL MEMBERS

to ort ps, e, cets, or

2014-15

THREE NEWCOMERS ADDE D TO

$118,894.09

RED COAT SOCIETY

TOTAL FUNDS RAISED

HENDRICKS FOX

$21,678.95

TERRY GRIFFIN

22.30% INCREASE

336

HAL MATHEWS

Three long-time backers of Austin Peay athletics were inducted into the Red Coat Society during the 2014-15 year.

Hendricks Fox, an instrumental figure in Austin Peayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s return to scholarship football, was tabbed with the honor during the opening of Governors Stadium last fall while long-time faces around Austin Peay, Hal Mathews and Terry Griffin, were inducted during the Governors home basketball game against Murray State in February. To be eligible for the Red Coat Society, an individual must be a member in good standing of the Governors Club for at least five years, must have supported the athletic programs at Austin Peay through financial contributions or participation in Governors Club fundraisers and other events, must have supported more than one sport both at home and away whenever possible and must be recognized within the APSU community for his association with Austin Peay athletics.

TOTAL MEMBERS

AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

Wilson RETURNS TO GOLF ROOTS AS

AU ST IN P EAY COAC H BY COLBY WILSON

“I have dreams and goals and I want to be the best at what I do. Austin Peay has always been a place I admired... In the back of my mind, I always thought if this opportunity ever came about, I would love to take it. I’m very fortunate and very blessed to get this opportunity.”

Robbie Wilson is no fool. After being added to Austin Peay ’s coaching ranks last fall, Wilson knows the pressure and expectations that come with inheriting a program that’s seen two NCAA Regional appearances by individuals, one team appearance and a representative at the NCAA Championships – and that’s just in the last three seasons. Confident and self-aware, Wilson embraces the challenge. There’s no hedging, no concern that maybe the expectations are too high. If he feels the pressure, he’s not letting on. “I hope there’s pressure and expectations,” he said during a sit-down in his Dunn Center office. “I think that’ll make me better at my job. The players know when they come here as recruits and as part of the program that there are expectations. That’s part of it, and it’s the fun part – if there weren’t those expectations we wouldn’t be nearly as successful. The new coach is stepping out of his element a bit – he had been at Trevecca in some capacity since joining the Trojans as a player in 2001, taking over as head coach in 2007 after less than a year as a graduate assistant. Wilson enjoyed great success as a head coach, leading the Trojans to back-to-back Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) championships during the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II, mentoring 16 all-conference performers and overseeing 18 conference scholar-athletes during his tenure. Under Wilson’s watch in 2011, the Trojans earned a fifth-place finish at the National Christian College Athletic Association Championship. 42

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

Leaving a place he called home and where he established his coaching bona fides was a tough call, but as an ambitious up-and-comer, Wilson knew he would someday have to seek his fortune elsewhere. “I always understood that Trevecca wasn’t going to be the final stop for me,” he said. “I have dreams and goals and I want to be the best at what I do. Austin Peay has always been a place I admired; I’ve known (former head coach) Kirk Kayden and (APSU women’s head coach) Sara (Robson) for many years. In the back of my mind, I always thought if this opportunity ever came about, I would love to take it. I’m very fortunate and very blessed to get this opportunity.” Although what he inherits has shown flashes of brilliance – the Govs won the F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate in October – Wilson acknowledges it hasn’t been easy for the current team, which at the time of his hiring was on its third coach (Kayden, interim coach Dustin Korte and Wilson) in five months. Building a strong relationship with his players was the first priority for Wilson. “It comes down to golf,” he said. “Golf is golf, recruiting is recruiting. Going from Division II to Division I, there are some small changes, but it all boils down to the relationships you have with players. The sooner I develop those relationships, the better. Once we do that and start playing golf, it’s the same anywhere.” To borrow a car term, a frame-off restoration is not what’s needed for the Austin Peay golf program; the Govs are young, deep and talented and were a perennial Ohio Valley Conference championship contender under Kayden, who resigned in July to accept the head coaching position at Mercer. Now it’s about taking the next step – from OVC heavy-hitter to consisten major player on the regional and national stage. “The foundation has already been laid with the success they’ve had (under Kayden),” Wilson said. “We’re going to try to take it into the next tier, through recruiting and playing off that tradition and the strong community ties. Obviously we want to continue competing for OVC Championships, but those teams that made it to national championships and regional play, that’s what we have our eyes on. “It’s not easier, because those expectations are still there. But I will say it’s nice not to have to completely rebuild. We’re freshening some things up; there are some great players here right now. The talent is here.”

In his first spring, Wilson led the Govs four top-10 finishes in six tournaments, including a fifth-place showing at the 2015 Ohio Valley Conference Championship in Muscle Shoals, Ala.; the Govs were in contention all throughout the tournament, entering the final day in second position. Along the way, Wilson oversaw Chris Baker’s school-record 61 in the second round of the Grub Mart Intercollegiate and saw two players – Austin Kramer (fourth) at the Grub Mart event and Baker (fifth) at the OVC Championships – post top-five showings. Baker and freshman Justin Arens took home All-Ohio Valley Conference and All-Newcomer honors, respectively, for their work in 2015. AUSTIN PEAY Athletics

RIVERS AND SPIRES, GOVS GIVE BACK, PLANT THE CAMPUS RED, FEED MY HUNGRY CHILDREN CANCER, OPERATION SERVE, GIRLS GOLF FEST, OVC TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP, OPERATION W CLARKSVILLE JR TOUR, THE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT, FOOTBALL PROJECTS, FREE KID MENTARY- MENTORING AND MATH TUTORING, FT. CAMPBELL YOUTH CAMP, MANNA FOOD DR TCAP PEP RALLY FOR ROSSVIEW ELEMENTARY, LIBERTY ELEMENTARY BOOK READING PEP CLINIC, PROJECT YESU, GO GREEN RUN AT BEACHAVEN VINEYARD, FREE KIDS VOLLEYBALL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT MUNITY EVENT, A NIGHT FOR PAT SUMMIT AT THE HAND FARM, FREE KIDS BASKETBALL CLINI APPRECIATION DAY FOR WYATT JOHNSON TOYOTA, FREE KIDS FOOTBALL CLINIC, AP DAY TO OPERATION WHITE OUT DAY AT THE BURT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON CAMPUS, FALL REA RECRUITING, KINDERGARTEN The football team and TARY, FREE KIDS BASEBALL CLINIC, RIVERS AND SPIRES, GOVS GIVE BACK, PLANT THE CAMPU coaches volunteered and DREN, GOVS GAMES, COACHES assisted the Physical Plant FOR CANCER, OPERATION SERVE, GIRLS GOLF FEST, OVC TRAC WHITE OUT,with #CHILLIN4CHARITY, CLARKSVILLE JR TOUR, THE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMEN clearing all of the snowCLINIC, off campusBURT during ELEMENTARY- MENTORING AND MATH TUTORING, FT. CAMPBEL KIDS SOCCER 2015. DRIVE, FREEWintergeddon KIDS TENNIS CLINIC, TCAP PEP RALLY FOR ROSSVIEW ELEMENTARY, LIBERTY ELE RALLY, FREE KIDS SOFTBALL CLINIC, PROJECT YESU, GO GREEN RUN AT BEACHAVEN VINEY CLINIC, BRIDGE CHURCH EVENT, A NIGHT FOR PAT SUMMIT AT THE HAND FARM, F PLANT THE CAMPUSCOMMUNITY RED GOVS GIVE APSU BACK EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY FOR WYATT JOHNSON TOYOTA, FREE KIDS student-athletes offered their time RECRUITING, KINDERGARTEN DAY AT THE BURT ELEMENTARY SC GREET NEWagain STUDENTS, ROW and efforts in April to ING RALLY AT BURT ELEMENTARY, FREE KIDS BASEBALL CLINIC, RIVERS AND SPIRES, GOVS G help beautify the APSU RED, FEED MY HUNGRY CHILDREN, GOVS GAMES, COACHES FOR CANCER, OPERATION SERVE, campus for the annual CHAMPIONSHIP, OPERATION Plant the Campus Red WHITE OUT, #CHILLIN4CHARITY, CLARKSVILLE JR TOUR, THE M FOOTBALLevent. PROJECTS, VolunteersFREE helped KIDS SOCCER CLINIC, BURT ELEMENTARY- MENTORING AND M spread mulch and plantedDRIVE, FREE KIDS TENNIS CLINIC, TCAP PEP RALLY FOR ROSSVIE YOUTH CAMP, MANNA FOOD also removMENTARY flowers BOOKwhile READING PEP RALLY, FREE KIDS SOFTBALL CLINIC, PROJECT YESU, GO GRE ing any remaining dead YARD, FREE KIDS VOLLEYBALL CLINIC, BRIDGE CHURCH COMMUNITY EVENT, A NIGHT FOR PA foliage at the same time.. FREE KIDS BASKETBALL CLINIC, GOVS GIVE BACK EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY FOR WYATT FOOTBALL CLINIC, AP DAY TO GREET NEW STUDENTS, ROWT RECRUITING, KINDERGARTEN D #OPERATIONW HITEOU SCHOOL ON OPERATION CAMPUS, SERVE FALL READING RALLY AT BURT ELEMENTARY, FREE KIDS BASEBALL CLIN Lady Govs GIVE BACK,The PLANT THEbasketCAMPUS RED, FEED MY HUNGRY CHILDREN, GOVS GAMES, COACHES FO ball team partnered GIRLS GOLF FEST, OVC TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP, OPERATION WHITE OUT, #CHILLIN4CHARITY, C with Grace Community MORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT, Church in their annual FOOTBALL PROJECTS, FREE KIDS SOCCER CLINIC, BURT ELEMEN TUTORING, FT. CAMPBELL “Operation Serve: YOUTH CAMP, MANNA FOOD DRIVE, FREE KIDS TENNIS CLINIC, TC Neighborhood ELEMENTARY, LIBERTYEdition” ELEMENTARY BOOK READING PEP RALLY, FREE KIDS SOFTBALL CLIN and helped an elderly RUN AT BEACHAVEN VINEYARD, FREE KIDS VOLLEYBALL CLINIC, BRIDGE CHURCH COMMUN get her house SUMMIT AT woman THE HAND FARM, FREE KIDS BASKETBALL CLINIC, GOVS GIVE BACK EMPLOYEE A fixed up. The team spent JOHNSON TOYOTA, FREE the morning doing KIDS yard FOOTBALL CLINIC, AP DAY TO GREET NEW STUDENTS, ROW REC AT THE BURT ELEMENTARY work in both the frontSCHOOL ON CAMPUS, FALL READING RALLY AT BURT ELEMENTARY and back yards, lots of RIVERS AND SPIRES, GOVS GIVE BACK, PLANT THE CAMPUS RED, FEED MY HUNGRY CHILDREN cleaning on the inside of GIRLS GOLF FEST, OVC TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP, OPERATION W CANCER, OPERATION SERVE, the house, and painting # CLARKSVILLE JR TOUR, THE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT, FOOTBALL PROJECTS, FREE KID the living room and main MENTARY- MENTORING AND MATH TUTORING, FT. CAMPBELL YOUTH CAMP, MANNA FOOD DR hallway of the house. TCAP PEP The RALLY ELEMENTARY, LIBERTY ELEMENTARY BOOK READING PEP houseFOR was inROSSVIEW great need of a fix up after CLINIC, PROJECT YESU, GOthe GREEN RUN AT BEACHAVEN VINEYARD, FREE KIDS VOLLEYBALL womanA has been raising MUNITY EVENT, NIGHT FOR PAT SUMMITT AT THE HAND FARM, FREE KIDS BASKETBALL CLINI her three grandkids in APPRECIATION DAY FOR WYATT JOHNSON TOYOTA, FREE KIDS FOOTBALL CLINIC, AP DAY TO recent years. RECRUITING, KINDERGARTEN DAY AT THE BURT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON CAMPUS, FALL REA TARY, FREE KIDS BASEBALL CLINIC, RIVERS AND SPIRES, GOVS GIVE BACK, PLANT THE CAMPU 4 CHARITY DREN, GOVSCHILLIN GAMES, COACHES FOR CANCER, OPERATION SERVE, GIRLS GOLF FEST, OVC TRAC Athletics Director Derek WHITE OUT, #CHILLIN4CHARITY, CLARKSVILLE JR TOUR, THE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMEN van der Merwe along with KIDS SOCCER CLINIC, BURT ELEMENTARY- MENTORING AND MATH TUTORING, FT. CAMPBEL the football team and DRIVE, FREE KIDS CLINIC, TCAP PEP RALLY FOR ROSSVIEW ELEMENTARY, LIBERTY ELE many otherTENNIS teams particiRALLY, FREE KIDS SOFTBALL CLINIC, PROJECT YESU, GO GREEN RUN AT BEACHAVEN VINEY pated in #Chillin4Charity, a fundraiser and awareCLINIC, BRIDGE CHURCH COMMUNITY EVENT, A NIGHT FOR PAT SUMMIT AT THE HAND FARM, FC ness campaign for the APPRECIATION DAY FOR WYATT JOHNSON TOYOTA, FREE KIDS GOVS GIVE BACK EMPLOYEE fight against ALS. GREET NEW STUDENTS, ROW RECRUITING, KINDERGARTEN DAY AT THE BURT ELEMENTARY SC ING RALLY AT BURT ELEMENTARY, FREECULTURE KIDSofBASEBALL CLINIC, RIVERS AND SPIRES, GOVS G EXCELLENCE 44 RED, FEED MY HUNGRY CHILDREN, GOVS GAMES, COACHES FOR CANCER, OPERATION SERVE, CHAMPIONSHIP, OPERATION WHITE OUT, #CHILLIN4CHARITY, CLARKSVILLE JR TOUR, THE M FOOTBALL PROJECTS, FREE KIDS SOCCER CLINIC, BURT ELEMENTARY- MENTORING AND M

EXCELLE

IN THE COMMUN

HILDREN, GOVS GAMES, COACHES FOR TION WHITE OUT, #CHILLIN4CHARITY, REE KIDS SOCCER CLINIC, BURT ELEOOD DRIVE, FREE KIDS TENNIS CLINIC, NG PEP RALLY, FREE KIDS SOFTBALL YBALL CLINIC, BRIDGE CHURCH COML CLINIC, GOVS GIVE BACK EMPLOYEE DAY TO GREET NEW STUDENTS, ROW ALL READING RALLY AT BURT ELEMENCAMPUS RED, FEED MY HUNGRY CHILVC TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP, OPERATION NAMENT, FOOTBALL PROJECTS, FREE AMPBELL YOUTH CAMP, MANNA FOOD RTY ELEMENTARY BOOK READING PEP N VINEYARD, FREE KIDS VOLLEYBALL #PLA NTTHECA M PU S R ED FARM, FREE KIDS BASKETBALL CLINIC, E KIDS FOOTBALL CLINIC, AP DAY TO ARY SCHOOL ON CAMPUS, FALL READGOVS GIVE BACK, PLANT THE CAMPUS SERVE, GIRLS GOLF FEST, OVC TRACK THE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT, AND MATH TUTORING, FT. CAMPBELL ROSSVIEW ELEMENTARY, LIBERTY ELEGO GREEN RUN AT BEACHAVEN VINEFOR PAT SUMMIT AT THE HAND FARM, WYATT JOHNSON TOYOTA, FREE KIDS RTEN DAY AT THE BURT ELEMENTARY ALL CLINIC, RIVERS AND SPIRES, GOVS CHES FOR CANCER, OPERATION SERVE, ARITY, CLARKSVILLE JR TOUR, THE MEELEMENTARY- MENTORING AND MATH NIC, TCAP PEP RALLY FOR ROSSVIEW LL CLINIC, PROJECT YESU, GO GREEN OMMUNITY EVENT, A NIGHT FOR PAT OYEE APPRECIATION DAY FOR WYATT OW RECRUITING, KINDERGARTEN DAY ENTARY, FREE KIDS BASEBALL CLINIC, HILDREN, GOVS GAMES, COACHES FOR TION WHITE OUT, #CHILLIN4CHARITY, #OPSOCCER ERATI OCLINIC, N WH I TBURT EO U TELEREE KIDS OOD DRIVE, FREE KIDS TENNIS CLINIC, NG PEP RALLY, FREE KIDS SOFTBALL YBALL CLINIC, BRIDGE CHURCH COMLL CLINIC, GOVS GIVE BACK EMPLOYEE DAY TO GREET AN NEW STUDENTS, ROW ESTIMATED ALL READING RALLY AT BURT ELEMENCAMPUS RED, FEED MY HUNGRY CHILVC TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP, OPERATION NAMENT, FOOTBALL PROJECTS, FREE AMPBELL YOUTH CAMP, MANNA FOOD RTY ELEMENTARY BOOK READING PEP N VINEYARD,INFREE KIDS VOLLEYBALL THE AUSTIN PEAY, FARM, FREE KIDS BASKETBALL CLINIC, CLARKSVILLE & FORT CAMPBELL E KIDS FOOTBALL CLINIC, DAY TO COMMUNITIES DURINGAP 2014-15. ARY SCHOOL ON CAMPUS, FALL READGOVS GIVE BACK, PLANT THE CAMPUS AUSTIN PEAY Athletics SERVE, GIRLS GOLF FEST, OVC TRACK THE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT, AND MATH TUTORING, FT. CAMPBELL

ENCE

MUNITY

THE GOVS VOLUNTEERED

2500 HOURS

# TCAPPE P RA L LY

# G OVS GI V E B AC K

CULTURE of EXCELLENCE

DREN, GOVS GAMES, COACHES FOR CANCER, OPERATION SERVE, GIRLS GOLF FEST, OVC TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP, OPERATION WHITE OUT, #CHILLIN4CHARITY, CLARKSVILLE JR TOUR, THE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT, FOOTBALL PROJECTS, FREE KIDS SOCCER CLINIC, BURT ELEMENTARY- MENTORING AND MATH TUTORING, FT. CAMPBELL YOUTH CAMP, MANNA FOOD DRIVE, FREE KIDS TENNIS CLINIC, TCAP PEP RALLY FOR ROSSVIEW ELEMENTARY, LIBERTY ELEMENTARY BOOK READING PEP RALLY, FREE KIDS SOFTBALL CLINIC, PROJECT YESU, GO COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT GREEN RUN AT BEACHAVEN VINEYARD, FREE KIDS VOLLEYBALL CLINIC, BRIDGE CHURCH COMMUNITY EVENT, A NIGHT FOR PAT SUMMIT AT THE HAND FARM, KIDS BASKETBALL TCAPFREE PEP RALLY The APSU Student-Athlete CLINIC, GOVS GIVE BACK EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY FOR WYATT JOHNSON TOYOTA, Advisory Council (SAAC) FREE KIDS FOOTBALL CLINIC, AP DAY TO GREET NEW STUDENTS, ROW RECRUITING, KINconnects with the comDERGARTEN DAY AT THE BURT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON CAMPUS, FALL READING RALLY AT munity by spending BURT ELEMENTARY, FREE KIDS BASEBALL CLINIC, RIVERS AND SPIRES, GOVS their morning by doing GIVE BACK, PLANT THE CAMPUS RED, FEED MY HUNGRY CHILDREN, GOVS GAMES, COACHES team-building activities FOR CANand encouraging kids CER, OPERATION SERVE, GIRLS GOLF FEST, OVC TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP, OPERATION WHITE to concentrate on their FOOTOUT, #CHILLIN4CHARITY, CLARKSVILLE JR TOUR, THE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT, studies at West Creek BALL PROJECTS, FREE KIDS SOCCER CLINIC, BURT ELEMENTARYMENTORING AND MATH Middle School. TUTORING, FT. CAMPBELL YOUTH CAMP, MANNA FOOD DRIVE, FREE KIDS TENNIS CLINIC, TCAP PEP RALLY FOR ROSSVIEW ELEMENTARY, LIBERTY ELEMENTARY BOOK READING PEP IMAGINATION RALLY, FREE KIDS SOFTBALL CLINIC, PROJECT YESU, GO GREEN RUN AT LIBRARY BEACHAVEN VINEGovernor Peay, head footYARD, FREE KIDS VOLLEYBALL CLINIC, BRIDGE CHURCH COMMUNITY EVENT, A NIGHT FOR ball coach Kirby Cannon, GOVS GIVE BACK EMPLOYPAT SUMMIT AT THE HAND FARM, FREE KIDS BASKETBALL CLINIC, and #99 Gino Roberson EE APPRECIATION DAY FOR WYATT JOHNSON TOYOTA, FREE read KIDStoFOOTBALL CLINIC, AP DAY kids at the ImagiDAYLibrary AT THE TO GREET NEW STUDENTS, ROW RECRUITING, KINDERGARTEN nation heldBURT at the ELEMENTAMontgomery County Pub- BASEBALL RY SCHOOL ON CAMPUS, FALL READING RALLY AT BURT ELEMENTARY, FREE KIDS lic Library. The library was CLINIC, RIVERS AND SPIRES, GOVS GIVE BACK, PLANT THE CAMPUS RED, FEED MY HUNGRY full of cheering youngCHILDREN, GOVS GAMES, COACHES FOR CANCER, OPERATIONsters, SERVE, GIRLS GOLF FEST, OVC shouting “Let’s Go TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP, OPERATION WHITE OUT, #CHILLIN4CHARITY, CLARKSVILLE JR TOUR, Peay! Let’s Go Peay! Let’s THE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT, FOOTBALL PROJECTS, FREE KIDS SOCCER CLINIC, BURT Go Peay!” ELEMENTARY- MENTORING AND MATH TUTORING, FT. CAMPBELL YOUTH CAMP, MANNA FOOD DRIVE, FREE KIDS TENNIS CLINIC, TCAP PEP RALLY FOR ROSSVIEW ELEMENTARY, LIBERTY GOVS GIVE BACK ELEMENTARY BOOK READING PEP RALLY, FREE KIDS SOFTBALL CLINIC, PROJECT YESU, GO APSU student-athletes # I MAGRUN I N AT N L I B RA RYVINEYARD, FREE KIDS VOLLEYBALL GREEN ATI OBEACHAVEN CLINIC, BRIDGE CHURCH fundraised to purchase COMMUNITY EVENT, A NIGHT FOR PAT SUMMIT AT THE HANDgroceries FARM, before FREE spending KIDS BASKETBALL a cold winter morning disCLINIC, GOVS GIVE BACK EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY FOR WYATT JOHNSON TOYOTA, tributing food and goods FREE KIDS FOOTBALL CLINIC, AP DAY TO GREET NEW STUDENTS, ROW RECRUITING, KINDERto the less fortunate at the GARTEN DAY AT THE BURT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON CAMPUS,annual FALL Govs READING RALLY AT BURT Give Back. ELEMENTARY, FREE KIDS BASEBALL CLINIC, RIVERS AND SPIRES, GOVS GIVE BACK, PLANT THE CAMPUS RED, FEED MY HUNGRY CHILDREN, GOVS GAMES, COACHES FOR CANCER, OPERATION SERVE, GIRLS GOLF FEST, OVC TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP, OPERATION WHITE OUT, #CHILLIN4CHARITY, CLARKSVILLE JR TOUR, THE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT, FOOTBALL PROJECTS, FREE KIDS SOCCER CLINIC, BURT ELEMENTARY- MENTORING AND MATH TUTORING, FT. CAMPBELL YOUTH CAMP, MANNA FOOD DRIVE, FREE KIDS TENNIS CLINIC, TCAP PEP RALLY FOR ROSSVIEW ELEMENTARY, LIBERTY ELEMENTARY BOOK READING PEP RALLY, FREE KIDS SOFTBALL CLINIC, PROJECT YESU, GO GREEN RUN AT BEACHAVEN VINEYARD, FREE KIDS VOLLEYBALL CLINIC, BRIDGE CHURCH COMMUNITY EVENT, A NIGHT FOR PAT SUMMIT AT THE HAND FARM, FREE KIDS BASKETBALL CLINIC, GOVS GIVE BACK EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY FOR WYATT JOHNSON TOYOTA, FREE KIDS FOOTBALL CLINIC, AP DAY TO AUSTIN PEAY Athletics 47 GREET NEW STUDENTS, ROW RECRUITING, KINDERGARTEN DAY AT THE BURT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON CAMPUS, FALL READING RALLY AT BURT ELE-