CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University head track and field and cross country coach Asha Gibson-Smith added Vanisha Wilshire to the Governors' coaching staff ahead of the 2025-26 season.

"Vanisha is a decorated former student-athlete who has proven she has the skill to coach at the national, regional and conference level," said Gibson-Smith. "She is a product of a championship-grade program and has contributed to its model of sustainability. I trust that Coach Wilshire will have a positive impact on our program in a number of ways and I look forward to her growth and achievement here in Clarksville. " 

Wilshire comes to Clarksville after serving as an assistant coach at her alma mater of Wingate. She served as an assistant coach since 2019 after being the programs' graduate assistant coach, 2019-21.

During her time as an assistant coach, both the men's and women's programs won three-straight South Atlantic Conference Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships, 2023-25.

While primarily working with WU's jumpers, the Bulldogs had 11 student-athletes win SAC Championships in jumping events, including winning the indoor and outdoor high jump for three-straight seasons. The Bulldogs also had eight NCAA Championship qualifiers and six athletes who earned NCAA Division II All-America honors in the high jump and triple jump from 2021-24. 

During her playing career, Wilshire was a five-time Southeast Region Field Athlete of the Year, seven-time All-American in the high jump, nine-time national qualifier in the high jump and triple jump, and helped the Bulldogs secure the SAC Outdoor Women's Track and Field Championship in 2017 and 2018. Additionally, she was a three-time national runner-up in the 2017 and 2019 indoor season and the 2018 outdoor campaign.

Wilshire earned her bachelor's degree in finance from Wingate in 2019 and a master's in data analytics in 2021.