Austin Peay receives $100K NCAA grant to fund student-athlete success initiative

By: Ethan Steinquest December 1, 2025

The David Philip Roe Athletics Academic Center at Austin Peay State University provides a dedicated study space for student-athletes within the Dunn Center. | Photo by Robyn Jacobs

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Austin Peay State University has been awarded a $100,000 NCAA for the third straight year and is among 19 Division I institutions receiving funding for the 2025-26 cycle.

will use the grant to expand its laptop loaner program, strengthening academic and career support for student-athletes and removing access barriers for nontraditional, first-generation, international, and limited-resource students.

“When we spoke with student-athletes about their experiences, one of the biggest needs that came up was access to laptops they could use for classes and assignments, especially while traveling for competition,” said ���ʳ���’s Associate Director of Athletics for Student-Athlete Success and Strategic Initiatives Dr. Kristal McGreggor. “It made sense because most of the time when athletes missed an assignment, it was during travel when they didn’t have access to a laptop.”

APSU student-athletes rely on loaner laptops for coursework while traveling for away games. | Photo by Robyn Jacobs

The department currently maintains 20 laptops, and the grant will fund 63 more, prioritizing students who do not have personal computers. McGreggor said the devices should be available by January 2026.

Nevaeh Schmeling, a sophomore political science major and track-and-field athlete, has witnessed the need for an expanded loaner program, particularly with the increasing number of first-generation and international student-athletes at Austin Peay.

“Last year, several girls on my team didn’t have laptops, so they had to come into the study room in the Dunn Center to get their work done,” she said. “I’ve also seen how international student-athletes face similar challenges when they move to a new country and are trying to get settled. Having more laptops available will really help make sure everyone has the resources they need.”

McGreggor credited the university’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, particularly Assistant Director Kelly Pitts and Associate Provost of Research Dr. Chad Brooks, and Grants Specialist Sharana Jones as key partners in the grant-writing process.

“If I have questions about anything when writing these grants, I can contact Kelly,” McGreggor said. ��ٳ��’s there to review it, make sure that �ɱ�’r�� good, hold us accountable and give us different ideas and perspectives.”

���ʳ���’s prior AASP grants supported initiatives like Grammarly access, professional development, and programming for international student-athletes.

����’s rare that you get this funding three times in a row, and the NCAA’s AASP grant has been a blessing to us here at Austin Peay as a university that’s historically underfunded,” McGreggor said. “Being able to utilize the funds they provide to enhance the student-athlete experience is a tremendous opportunity for us, and it’s done so much to help us grow.”

About the Accelerating Academic Success Program

The NCAA Accelerating Academic Success Program (AASP) supports Division I institutions with limited resources in improving the academic achievement and graduation rates of student-athletes. AASP grants provide resources to enhance academic support, improve Academic Progress Rate outcomes, and establish sustainable campus programs for student-athletes' success.