Austin Peay Hires Two Leaders for Student-Athlete Wellness

Austin Peay State University is building something bigger than winning teams. The Tennessee school just announced two major hires dedicated entirely to helping student-athletes thrive both in the classroom and in their mental health.

Danielle Doerfler joins as Associate Athletics Director for Academic Services, while Latrice Lewis steps in as Associate Athletics Director for Sports Psychology and Behavioral Health. Together, they represent a powerful commitment to treating athletes as whole people, not just performers.

Athletics Director Jordan Harmon put it simply: "Championship programs are built by investing in your people first and foremost." It's a philosophy that recognizes success on the field starts with well-being off it.

Doerfler brings over 15 years of experience to the role, including time as director of athletics at Fontbonne University in St. Louis. There, she launched programs like "women's power half-hour" to mentor female athletes and created orientation programs focused on leadership and inclusion.

Lewis arrives with credentials that span the highest levels of sports. She's worked with professional athletes across the NFL, NBA, and MLB, plus Olympic organizations. Most recently, she served as embedded staff therapist for athletics at Kennesaw State, providing direct counseling and mental health programming.

Her qualifications tell the story of someone deeply prepared: she's a Certified Mental Performance Consultant, Licensed Professional Counselor, and National Certified Counselor. She holds master's degrees in both sport psychology and clinical mental health counseling.

The Ripple Effect

This investment goes beyond Austin Peay's campus. As mental health awareness grows across college athletics, universities are finally recognizing that academic support and psychological care aren't luxuries. They're necessities.

When schools dedicate full-time leadership positions to these areas, they send a clear message to student-athletes: your well-being matters as much as your performance. That cultural shift can transform how young athletes view themselves and their futures.

The timing matters too. Student-athletes face unique pressures balancing rigorous training schedules, academic demands, and public performance. Having dedicated professionals to support both their minds and their studies creates a safety net that many schools still lack.

Programs like the ones Doerfler launched at her previous schools show what's possible when institutions invest intentionally. Orientation programs, mentorship initiatives, and community building help athletes develop as leaders, not just competitors.

These aren't just feel-good additions to the staff directory. They're strategic investments in helping young people navigate some of the most challenging years of their lives with proper support systems in place.

Austin Peay is showing other schools what it looks like to walk the walk on student-athlete wellness.