Austin Peay State University Athletics

Asha Gibson-Smith is in her third season leading the Governors’ cross country and track and field programs after joining the Governors, July 2023. Since being named head coach, the Governors broke four athletic and three academic awards.

In 2025, the women amassed their best ASUN Conference Championship point total during outdoor championship and tied tier best point total at the indoor championship. The indoor season was highlighted by Madelyn Kocik being named the ASUN Indoor Champion in both the triple jump and long jump. Freshman Taylin Segree also had a stellar start to her rookie campaign, placing second in the 400-meter dash at the ASUN Track and Field Championships and was a member of the 4x400-meter relay – alongside Trinity Bracey, Busiwa Asinga, and Mia McGee – with a time of 3:43.21. Austin Peay established a program single event record by qualifying five athletes in the 400m final. In that ASUN Indoor Championships, Emma Tucker set the school record in the weight throw (17.79m), to place second.

Following a solid indoor season, the Governors captured additional hardware at the ASUN Outdoor Track and Field Championships, led by Taylin Segree who netted second place in the 400-meter. Segree, Gabrielle Miller, Gabrielle Hoskins and Alijanae Cole raced to another second-place finish in the 4x100 meter relay, while Alexis Arnett, Mia McGee, Alijanae Cole and Taylin Segree secured another second-place finish in the 4x400 meter relay. Graduate transfer, Busiwa Asinga, capped off a decorated career at Austin Peay with a runner-up finish in the women’s 400-meter hurdles.

GIBSON-SMITH’S COACHING PROFILE

AUSTIN PEAY STATE UNIVERSITY (2023-PRESENT)

1 ASUN INDOOR CONFERENCE CHAMPION
7 ASUN INDOOR MEDALISTS
7 ASUN OUTDOOR MEDALISTS
4 SCHOOL RECORDS
1 USATF U20 CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER
2 USTFCCCA ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM - WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD (3.507 GPA – PROGRAM RECORD)
2 USTFCCCA ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM - WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY (3.793 GPA – PROGRAM RECORD)
1 USTFCCCA ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM - MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY (3.669 – PROGRAM RECORD)

DRAKE (2019-2022)

1 2020 TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFIER 
2 USTFCCCA ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM - WOMEN
2 USTFCCCA ALL-ACADEMIC - MEN
8 USTFCCCA ALL-ACADEMIC STUDENT-ATHLETES  
11 INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS {WOMEN’S 400M (INDOOR AND OUTDOOR), WOMEN’S 60M H, WOMEN’S 400MH, WOMEN’S PENTAHLON, MEN’S 400MH, MEN’S LJ AND TJ (INDOOR AND OUTDOOR) 
2 SCHOOL RECORDS (WOMEN’S 200M & 400M)
17 TOP 10 ALL-TIME PERFORMANCES
28 MVC SCHOLAR ATHLETES (EVENT FINALISTS)
2021 MOST OUTSTANDING ATHLETE OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS
2021 FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR 
4 NCAA WEST PRELIM QUALIFIERS (WOMEN’S 400M, 400MH & MEN’S 400MH)

TENNESSEE STATE (2014-2019)

1 OLYMPIC TRIALS QUALIFIER
11 NCAA DIV. I EAST PRELIMINARY QUALIFIERS 
2 NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
2 NCAA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICANS 
2 NCAA OUTDOOR HONORABLE MENTION 
2 OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR (ALL SPORTS) 
2 TEAM INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (OVC)
1 TEAM OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP (OVC) 
18 INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS (OVC)
2 FEMALE ATHLETES OF THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
1 MALE ATHLETE OF THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
4 USTFCCCA ALL-ACADEMIC STUDENT-ATHLETES  

JACKSONVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY (2008-2014)

3 U.S. JUNIOR NATIONAL QUALIFIERS
10 NCAA DIV. I EAST PRELIMINARY QUALIFIERS 
12 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS (OVC)
1 ATHLETE OF THE YEAR (OVC)
1 ATHLETE OF THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP (OVC)
2 FRESHMEN OF THE YEAR
14 SCHOOL RECORDS 55M, 60M, 60H, 55H, 100M, 200M (INDOOR/OUTDOOR), 300M, 500M, 100H, 400H, 4X100M, 4X400M
USTFCCCA ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM WOMEN (2010-2013)
6 -YEAR MAINTENANCE OF 3.0 CUMULATIVE TEAM GPA