On Friday, the ASUN formally announced the addition of Austin Peay who will become a member of the ASUN and will begin competing for conference championships during the 2022-23 season.
Austin Peay becomes the fourth team to join the ASUN over the past year and the third from the Ohio Valley Conference. Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State join the league this season from the OVC while Central Arkansas has joined the ASUN this year from the Southland Conference.
The Governors hail from Clarksville, Tennessee and will join the ASUN in men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, beach volleyball, women’s soccer, women’s tennis, women’s track & field, volleyball, and football.
In men’s basketball, Austin Peay named Nate James as its new head coach this past April. James played his college basketball at Duke, and following an overseas professional career James returned to Duke where he has been an assistant coach since 2008. Last season, Austin Peay finished 14-13 overall and 10-10 in OVC play. The previous two seasons they won over 20 games and last made the NCAA Tournament in 2016.
The brand new ASUN FCS scholarship football conference now boasts six full scholarship FCS football playing members with Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, and North Alabama. With six football members, the ASUN will now be eligible to receive an automatic qualifier bid to the FCS playoffs.
For all other sports, the ASUN now boasts 13 members with Austin Peay’s addition, and it is expected that the league will continue to pursue other potential members. Yahoo’s Pete Thamel reported Friday that the conference is currently vetting Division II members Valdosta State, West Georgia, Lincoln Memorial, and Queens.
This season, the ASUN has split into two divisions of six teams each with Liberty, Kennesaw State, North Florida, Jacksonville, FGCU, and Stetson in one division. Bellarmine, Lipscomb, Eastern Kentucky, Central Arkansas, North Alabama, and Jacksonville State make up the other division.
