Austin Peay State University is a public university in Clarksville, Tennessee, United States. Standing on a site occupied by a succession of educational institutions since 1845, the precursor of the university was established in 1927 and named for then-sitting Governor Austin Peay, who is further honored with "Governors", the name of the university's athletic teams. Affiliated with the Tennessee Board of Regents, it is now governed by the Austin Peay State University Board of Trustees as of May 2017. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and, in 2012, was the fastest-growing university in Tennessee. In 2025, Austin Peay State University hit 11,185 registered students for the fall semester.