CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. ? Austin Peay State University athletics will not renew the contract of head tennis coach Ed Dickson.

That decision was announced Wednesday afternoon.

“The tennis program has struggled performance-wise the last few seasons, especially in the OVC,” APSU Assistant Athletics Director Cheryl Holt said. “We thought it was necessary to move the program in a different direction.”

Dickson just completed his fifth Austin Peay season as men and women's tennis coach. This season, the Governors posted a 3-14 overall record, including an eighth-place 1-7 Ohio Valley Conference record. APSU was 3-18 a year ago and finished eighth (2-7) out of 10 teams.

The Lady Govs, meanwhile, finished 3-17 in 2009 with a 2-7 eighth-place OVC record, The Lady Govs were 1-17 in 2008, with a 1-9 OVC mark.

The Lady Govs failed to qualify for the OVC tournament during Dickson's tenure while the men's team qualified just once, Dickson's first season in 2005.

“We will begin an immediate search for his replacement,” Holt said.
 

- AP-