Austin Peay State University Athletics

A native of Lexington, KY, Howard Jackson came to Austin Peay as a transfer from Oakland City (Ind.) College in 1970. A graduate of Lafayette High School, Jackson played basketball for the 1971-72 and 1972-73 Governors. He led the 1971-72 team (10-14) in scoring (18.9) and rebounding (11.6) and was named the club’s most valuable player and first-team All-OVC. Howard served as co-captain of the 1972-73 “rags to riches” team and was named All-OVC on the first OVC basketball championship team (22-7). He averaged 11.1 points and 11.6 rebounds and was named to the NCAA All-Mideast team, but his career was cut short when the senior-to-be fell 83 feet through a skylight at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Cumberland City steam plant where he was working during the summer. The outcome was one of the nation’s warm sports stories as head coach Lake Kelly and his family took “Jack” into heir home while he rehabilitated and completed his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education in 1975. Jackson coached at Jonesboro Junior High School (GA) during 1975-76 before becoming an APSU basketball graduate assistant coach in 1976-77 and earning a master’s degree. He was the head basketball coach at Volunteer State Community College, Gallatin, TN, where he served two years (1977-79) and changed a 5-17 program to a .500 club with an 11-11 record during his second season. Jackson returned to Austin Peay as an assistant basketball coach in 1979 and was elevated to associate basketball coach in 1981. Howard’s dream came true August 10, 1983, slightly over 10 years after his accident, when he was named the head basketball coach of the Governors. He is married to the former Yolonda Elaine Shockley of Lebanon, TN. They have one daughter, Yolisha.