HUNTINGTON — Marshall University has tabbed Austin Peay athletic director Gerald Harrison as its next athletic director, ESPN reported Thursday.
Harrison led the Governors’ athletic department for seven school years. He had signed a new contract in January 2024.
Attempts to reach Marshall for comment through an athletic department spokesman and Austin Peay deputy director of athletics Jordan Harmon were not immediately successful.
Harrison would replace Christian Spears. He parted ways with the Thundering Herd in April, pending the completion of the transition to the next athletic director.
Austin Peay won 12 conference championships under Harrison’s leadership, including three football league titles in a span of five seasons, according to the Governors’ website.
Austin Peay’s athletes also reached an aggregate grade-point average of 3.0 for 13 consecutive semesters, a school record, under Harrison’s guidance.
Before taking the helm in Clarksville, Tennessee, Harrison worked for Duke and Tennessee. He is on the NCAA’s Competition Oversight Committee and the NCAA Football Championship Committee.
Harrison has experience in many facets of an AD's job.
Harrison’s resume includes hiring coaches for football, baseball, softball, women’s basketball, men’s basketball and women’s soccer.
In fundraising, Harrison also secured the school’s largest donation ever and has a track record of fundraising that included a $15 million donation and the opening of F&M Bank Arena for the Governors' basketball programs. With Austin Peay’s location in Tennessee, Harrison also fostered a partnership with the NHL’s Nashville Predators for the collaboration of its construction along with the Montgomery County Government.
With everchanging alignment being a factor at the Division I level, Harrison led the Governors in their entrance into the United Athletic Conference for football. Austin Peay competes primarily in the Atlantic Sun Conference and was an FCS program in football. The Governors will participate in the UAC in all sports beginning in 2026, as the Atlantic Sun will come together with the Western Athletic Conference to form an all-sports conference.
In 2024, Austin Peay finished with a 4-8 record in football but recently had a 9-3 season in which it reached the FCS playoffs and went 6-0 in its conference in its first UAC season.
Austin Peay reached the Atlantic Sun tournament quarterfinals in both men’s and women’s basketball last season. In baseball, the Governors secured a 45-14 record and lost in the conference tournament championship.
Harrison and wife Lisa have two daughters, Torri and Lorri.
