From the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, Austin Peay women’s tennis was one of the most dominant in the OVC.
In fact, from 1985-94, Austin Peay earned 31 OVC singles or doubles championships, including three players who earned a total of six OVC Player of the Year titles.
At the end of the Lady Govs’ most glorious era came a Kelso, Australia, native who stamped her mark as one of the three greatest Lady Govs tennis players in history, joining T.J. Kleynhans and Shannon Peters on that short list.
Susan Sheather was one of the OVC's most dominant tennis players in the early 1990s. She came to Austin Peay for the Spring 1991 semester and quickly made her mark on Austin Peay and the OVC.
Playing No. 2 singles after arriving, she posted an 18-2 record in her first Austin Peay competition and captured the OVC title at that spot. In addition, she also teamed with Sueanne Langbein for the No. 2 doubles titles.
After Peters graduated, Sheather inherited the No. 1 singles position in 1992 and immediately lived up to her predecessors at the spot. She posted a 16-2 record, including 7-0 during OVC competition. She then swept through the singles competition to earn All-OVC for a second time and her first OVC Player of the Year honor.
As a junior, Sheather got off to a quick start but knee problems caused her to struggle late in the year. She still finished 14-5 overall, 9-2 in the OVC, but she limped to a fourth-place OVC tourney appearance. She also teamed with Paige Atkins that season in doubles for a 14-5 record, including a 9-2 OVC mark.
With a rehabilitated knee, Sheather rebounded with a vengeance her senior season. After losing two of her first three singles matches that season, she reeled off 15 straight victories at No. 1 singles. In fact, during those 15 victories, she never had a match go beyond two sets.
In the OVC tourney, Sheather swept through for her second No. 1 crown along with her second OVC Player of the Year title.
She and Andrea Hede almost were as dominant in doubles play. In fact, they took a similar path, losing a pair of early No. 1 doubles matches before steamrolling their way to 13 straight wins. That culminated in the duo walking away with the OVC title at No. 1 doubles. It also led to her being selected as APSU’s 1993-94 Most Outstanding Female Athlete.
As a result, Sheather won a total of five OVC championships during her APSU career. During that time, she was 64-11 in singles, including an impressive 46-9 mark at No. 1 singles and 23-2 in OVC play.
Her doubles record, playing with three different doubles partners, was equally as impressive. Her four-year mark was 57-9, with a 28-2 OVC mark.
Sheather’s work off the court was equally as impressive. The psychology major was a two-time member of the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll and was a four-time member of the Athletics Director’s Honor Roll, including three times earning Dean’s List honors.
