Austin Peay State University lines up first esports competition against MTSU for Sept. 6
By: Ethan Steinquest September 2, 2025
Austin Peay State University’s Esports Gaming Room offers high-performance computers and consoles for competitive or casual events, and is home to the Govs Gaming student organization. | Photo by Sean McCully
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University is entering the world of esports for the first time at noon on Saturday, Sept. 6, with set to take on MTSU in a four-versus-four Tekken 8 event during CDE Lightband’s
The event will also be livestreamed via with a watch party in the Morgan University Center outside Einstein Bros. Bagels. The winning team will receive a trophy and $2,500 to go toward their club’s budget.
“I’m pretty nervous, but I’m also really excited,” said sophomore management major Anthony Collier, one of APSU’s team members. “It’s one thing playing online, but when you’re on a big stage in front of people it’s a whole different game and environment. You have to keep your cool when you’re playing Tekken because it’s a game where you can really get rolling.”
Collier and his teammates have been practicing the fighting game for months to prepare and hope to build some momentum of their own by starting Austin Peay’s esports career with a win.
“I really want to fight against new people in person,” said sophomore finance major Lakavius Stokes. “When you do that, you get to learn a lot about the different types of characters and how people utilize them.”
Tekken 8 has nearly 40 playable characters with distinct fighting styles, and Collier said the key to success is understanding how each one works so you have a grasp on every matchup.
“We’ve been doing a lot of online matches because you get a really big selection of the roster,” said Ashton Hulsey, a junior English major and Govs Gaming vice president. “That helps you learn more about characters you don’t usually see and what you can get away with, and you start playing against better and better opponents.”
Meagan Potts, Govs Gaming’s staff advisor, said the club aims to continue competing against other schools and grow into a nationally recognized esports program. Club members are currently working to build competitive teams for other games like Overwatch and Marvel Rivals, but players of any skill level are welcome to get involved.
Govs Gaming Vice President Ashton Hulsey and Govs Gaming President Sasha Puskas at the ribbon cutting event for APSU’s Esports Gaming Room. | Photo by Sean McCully
Janessa Walpole, a junior computer science major and Govs Gaming secretary, said the club hosts several casual events like Monday Mayhem, a monthly get-together with pizza and party games like Mario Kart.
“Our next Monday Mayhem is going to be welcome-party themed, and last Halloween we had a horror trivia night where I tossed in some easy questions and a lot of obscure stuff,” Walpole said. “I feel like ٳ’s what makes trivia fun. I love helping out the club and I love video games, so it’s been great getting involved.”
Sasha Puskas, a junior psychology major and Govs Gaming president, said the club helped her make connections during a time when she felt particularly isolated.
“I joined as a dual enrollment student while I was still in high school, but the only friends I had there were theatre friends,” she said. “I knew I wasn’t going to be in theatre anymore, so I wanted to find people with the same interests as me. This club really helped me get involved on campus and meet a lot of new people, and it’s given me something to do besides playing games alone.”
Hulsey said he sees new students in APSU’s Esports Gaming Room every day, and that it has become a community where people can unwind between classes, enjoy games together, or even catch up on assignments.
“People are constantly looking for connections, and ٳ’s why games are so great, because they connect us,” Potts said. “Not everybody likes sports, and ٳ’s OK. Gaming is something a lot of people enjoy ٳ’s really growing in popularity, and if we can help APSU build a place for people to connect and play, it would be amazing.”
For more information on Govs Gaming, contact Potts at 931-221-6594 or pottsm@apsu.edu. Students interested in joining the club can also