CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – After leading Austin Peay State University's beach volleyball program to an 11-win improvement in 2026, head coach Michael Hobson agreed to a contract extension through the 2029 season, Austin Peay Director of Athletics Jordan Harmon announced Tuesday.

"It is a great time to be a Gov as we announce that Michael Hobson will remain our head beach volleyball coach," said Harmon. "Coach Hobson has continued to move our beach volleyball program forward during his time at Austin Peay. He has brought great energy, leadership, and passion to our department while helping build a strong culture for our student-athletes on and off the sand. We are thankful for the commitment he has shown to Austin Peay and the Clarksville-Montgomery County communities. We are excited for the future of our beach volleyball program under his leadership."

Hobson was named the third head beach volleyball coach in program history in May 2024 and led the Governors to 14 wins during his second season at the helm, where he had one athlete earn Atlantic Sun Conference All-Freshman Team honors, and a record six earn Academic All-ASUN honors.

"I want to thank Dr. Mike Licari and Jordan Harmon for giving me this opportunity to represent Austin Peay and lead the Sandy Govs," said Hobson. "In the last two seasons, we have shown incredible growth in our academic efforts, athletic efforts, and in impacting our community, and it gets me very excited about our building process. With the great support and people we have involved in our program, I only see us accelerating further and achieving even more successes in the future. I feel a lot of gratitude for being a Sandy Gov and look forward to what this program can accomplish."

The Governors' 11-win improvement in 2026 was the best single-season turnaround in program history, with APSU's 14 wins being tied for the fourth-most in program history.

Academically, the Governors earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award last season after posting a 3.8 grade-point average across both semesters during the 2024-25 academic year. Last semester, the Governors again posted a 3.8 team-wide GPA and had eight student-athletes named to the Dean's List.

For offseason news and updates on all things Austin Peay beach volleyball, follow the team on X and Instagram (@GovsBVB) or be sure to check back at LetsGoPeay.com.