Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University held its Spring Commencement ceremonies, May 8th at the Dunn Center, with 43 Governors and Lady Govs athletes not only picking up their respective degrees, but also leaving a legacy of success during their time on campus.
The 42 graduating athletes represented 12 of 14 teams at Austin Peay, with only the women’s cross country and tennis teams not having any team member graduate this spring.
Be it on the field of competition, or in the class room, the 2014-15 graduating class has proven to be among some of the best and brightest in school history.On the field, five have played on Ohio Valley Conference champion squads — Britte Underwood, Alex Belew and P.J. Torres (baseball), Tucker Wallace (golf) and Aleksas Tverijonas (tennis) – with all also advancing to participate in the NCAA Tournament.
Seven have earned All-Ohio Valley Conference honors; two have taken All-OVC Tournament spots in their respective sports and two were named to their sports’ All-Newcomer squads in their first year at APSU.
They have also been record setters, with football’s Ben Campbell not only setting the Austin Peay school record for all-time punt attempts and yardage, but the OVC record as well. Volleyball’s Jada Stotts became the school’s 13th player to record at least 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career, while women’s basketball’s Kristen Stainback became the 17th Lady Govs to score at least 1,000 points in a career and women’s track and field member Erika Adams holds school records in the 55m, 60m and 100m dash events.
In the class room, 40 earned OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll during their time at APSU, with 14 earning OVC Medal of Honor Awards and men’s tennis’ Aleksas Tverijonas being named an Ohio Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Award winner. On the national level, football’s Ben Campbell, Hunter Branch, Jacob Sexton were named National Football Foundation Hampshire Society Scholars, while two were named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars.
So as the athletes listed below are heading into the next chapter of their lives after graduation, their accomplishments – both on the field and in the class room – will be remembered and appreciated for years to come … Govs fans will always remember you as more than just a number or name on a roster.
Baseball: Alex Belew, Jake Corum, Mark Hendrick, P.J. Torres, Britte Underwood
Men’s Basketball: Ed Dyson, Chris Freeman, Fred Dyson, Serigne Mboup, Jeremy Purvis, Damarius Smith, Zavion Williams
Women’s Basketball: Kristen Stainback
Men’s Cross Country: Antonio Diaz, Thomas Owen
Football: Jaview Booker, Hunter Branch, Ben Campbell, Deandre Carroll, Jamaar Embry, Malcolm Goins, John Houston Jr., Adam Noble, Nathan Sanders, Jacob Sexton, Johnathan Shuler, Isaiah Tuiasosopo, Julian Virgo, Travis Williams, Bradford Wilmer
Men’s Golf: Cleve Guinn, Tucker Wallace
Women’s Golf: Meghan Mueller
Soccer: Frankie Carbajal, Shelby Olszewski, Claire Pultz, Haylee Shoaff
Softball: Ashley Eisenbraun
Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field: Erika Adams
Men’s Tennis: Aleksas Tverijonas
Volleyball: Cami Fields, Hillary Plybon, Jada Stotts