CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Last August, it was announced that Austin Peay athletic director Gerald Harrison had accepted the same role with Marshall University. To replace Harrison, Jordan Harmon was given the interim director of athletics title.
In the six months since Harmon received the interim tag, Austin Peay athletics have continued to excel. The football team won seven games and fell just shy of an FCS playoff appearance. The team then secured one of the best transfer portal classes in the entire FCS this offseason.
Meanwhile, the women’s basketball team has been one of the best road teams in the nation, and the men’s basketball team is in first place in the ASUN. After an extensive search that featured the help of an outside firm, the decision was made to remove Harmon’s interim tag and make it long-term.
Harmon played baseball at Austin Peay from 2014 to 2017 and has two degrees from the university. After graduating, Harmon worked in the athletics department for three years and played a key role in the most successful fundraising period in school history.
On Friday, a formal introduction was held for Harmon at F&M Bank Arena. There was a great crowd on hand, including the men’s and women’s basketball teams, the lacrosse teams, and countless alumni.
Austin Peay President Mike Licari congratulated Harmon while expressing excitement for the future.
“I’ve been long impressed with Jordan’s desire to learn, to develop, and to succeed, and I know he will succeed,” Licari said. “Austin Peay athletics is in great hands, and it’s a great time to be a Gov.”
Harmon: Important to ‘take a breath’
After Licari’s speech, Harmon took the mic and thanked God, his family and friends, the Clarksville community, and all the people he learned from along the way.
After the introduction, Harmon spoke with local media. He credited his predecessor, Gerald Harrison, and said the main thing he learned from him was to “take a breath” before making decisions and always do what’s right for student-athletes.
Among his goals as the new athletic director is for every student-athlete to leave campus with “a championship ring on one hand and a diploma in the other.”
Harmon mentioned that while having the interim title, he was adamant about making decisions that were best for the department, and not just best for his job prospects.
“If it worked for me in the long run, great, and if it didn’t, we still made this place better,” said Harmon. “So that’s what we cared about and how we made decisions.”
Harmon is now the 15th director of athletics in Austin Peay history.
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