Clarksville, TN – Skylar Sheridan, a senior on the Austin Peay State University (APSU) softball team, has been selected to represent Austin Peay State University and the Atlantic Sun Conference at the 2024 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, November 21st-24th, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Sheridan will be one of the ASUN’s two student-athlete representatives at the 2024 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum and be the first to represent Austin Peay at this event.
“I first want to thank Dr. Kristal McGreggor for thinking of me for this opportunity,” said Sheridan. “She has continued to pour into me, and her support has been crucial to my success, and for that, I am so grateful. I also want to thank the people who have been pivotal in making me into the person I am today: my parents, Coach K, my administrators, and most importantly, God.
“Meeting new people, making new connections, and learning new things is exciting. Being in that kind of environment, I personally feel I will thrive. I look forward to meeting student-athletes who experience similar challenges on a day-to-day basis and learning new methods not only to bring back to Team 40, but to carry on in my day-to-day life. Additionally, I am eager to use the insights and strategies gained from this forum to contribute to the development and success of the SAAC at APSU. This will help us build a stronger, more supportive community for all student-athletes at our university.”
A native of Ooltewah, Tennessee, Sheridan is a member of Austin Peay State University’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) executive board and served as the ASUN representative for the 2023-24 academic year. In this role, she represented APSU at the conference level, contributing to key decisions and initiatives that impact student-athletes.
In the upcoming academic year, Sheridan will continue to serve on the SAAC executive board as the Ellis Initiative Chair. Named after L.M. Ellis, Austin Peay State University’s first black student-athlete and the pioneer who shattered the color barrier by signing the first scholarship in Ohio Valley Conference history, the Ellis Initiative Char will lead the efforts to create inclusive spaces for all student-athletes, fostering a sense of community and belonging.
The NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, created in 1997, has served as a life-changing experience for more than 5,000 student-athletes. It provides participants with invaluable leadership skills, a refined understanding of the relationship among personal values, core beliefs, and behavioral styles, and the support of a close personal network of like-minded peers.
This transformational opportunity allows student-athletes and administrators to build a leadership toolkit and develop vital self-awareness to realize their potential.
Participants, including student-athletes, administrators, and coaches, return from the forum with enhanced leadership capabilities that allow them to thrive personally, professionally, and athletically.
