CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University Associate Director of Athletics for Sports Medicine Lauren Norton announced the hirings of Mindy Hamilton, Ranesha Cook, and Eric Jackson, Friday.

Jackson joins the Governors as an associate athletic trainer, bringing extensive experience at the NCAA Division I level along with a strong background in men's basketball sports medicine. He most recently worked at William & Mary, where he has been since June 2021, most recently serving as the interim head athletic trainer and overseeing men's basketball and golf. In that role, he oversaw sports medicine operations, supervised staff, assisted in department administration, and supported facility and program development initiatives while continuing to provide direct care for student-athletes.

Prior to his time at William & Mary, Jackson served as assistant athletic trainer at South Carolina State, where he provided coverage for men's basketball and men's tennis, managed rehabilitation programs, and supported injury prevention and evaluation efforts. His career also includes a stint as an intern athletic trainer at Alabama-Birmingham, working with football, women's soccer, and women's tennis, as well as graduate assistant experience at Michigan State, where he assisted with multiple sports including men's and women's track and field, cross country, and basketball.

Jackson earned his master's degree in kinesiology from Michigan State in 2018 and his bachelor's degree in health sciences from the Missouri in 2016.

Hamilton joins the Governors as an assistant athletic trainer, bringing a diverse background in collegiate athletics and clinical sports medicine experience across multiple NCAA Division I programs. She most recently served as an assistant athletic trainer of Pfeiffer University, assisting with men's lacrosse, men's soccer, track & field, and cross country. She also was an assistant athletic trainer for Charlotte, working primarily with the tennis programs while collaborating with performance staff, physicians, and sport science personnel on athlete monitoring and return-to-play protocols.

Prior to her time at Charlotte, Hamilton spent two seasons at the North Texas, where she provided care for women's volleyball, women's tennis, and track and field/cross country programs. In addition to her daily responsibilities in injury prevention, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation, she supported data-driven performance and injury tracking initiatives and assisted in mentorship of athletic training student aides. Hamilton began her Division I career at the UTEP, serving as a graduate assistant athletic trainer for women's volleyball before transitioning into a full-time assistant role with volleyball and women's tennis.

Hamilton earned her master's degree in leadership studies from UTEP in 2019 and her bachelor's degree in athletic training from Texas in 2017.

Cook joins Austin Peay as an assistant athletic trainer after serving most recently as an assistant athletic trainer at West Georgia, where she worked with the softball and soccer programs. In that role, she managed daily medical coverage, coordinated rehabilitation programs, and supported student-athlete care across both training and competition environments while working closely with coaches and sport performance staff. She also oversaw student workers and athletic training interns while helping maintain medical documentation systems and inventory within the athletics department.

Cook previously served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at West Georgia, working primarily with football and softball while leading rehabilitation plans, assisting with on-field emergency care, and contributing to return-to-play decision-making processes. Her collegiate experience also includes time as an athletic training student at the Southern Mississippi, where she supported football, women's basketball, and high school athletic coverage while gaining experience in injury prevention, treatment, hydration monitoring, and COVID-19 screening protocols.

Cook earned her master's degree in sports management from West Georgia in 2023 and her bachelor's degree in athletic training from the Southern Miss in 2021.