Bio

From 1988-2001, Coach Peterson guided the Thunderbirds men’s and women’s cross country
programs as the head coach and was an assistant track & field coach (distance), serving under
Head Coach Steve Jacobs. Coach Peterson returned to coaching in 2016 with MCC and has
many ties to the local, state, and national running communities.

Over the years, Coach Peterson has held several positions with MCC in student and support
services. He was born and raised in Ludington, Michigan, where he graduated from Ludington
High School in 1978. He was a two-time All-State athlete in cross country (1977) and track &
field (1978). He still holds the LHS record in the 2-mile (9:25.7), set in June 1978, and was
inducted into the Mason County Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

After graduating high school, Coach Peterson was awarded an athletic scholarship to attend
Saginaw Valley State University (MI), where he was a six-time All-American (NCAA Div. II and
NAIA Div. I) and a member of the 1982 and 1983 national championship indoor track & field
teams (NAIA Div. I). Coach Peterson still holds the SVSU record in the 10,000 meters (29:10.0),
set in 1982. After graduating from SVSU in 1983, Coach Peterson trained for the 1984 US
Olympic Trials 10,000m, and the Marathon in 1988, representing the Brooks and Adidas racing
teams respectfully. Unfortunately, he fell a little short of qualifying in both attempts. In 1987,
Coach Peterson completed his Master’s Degree in Physical Education from Northern Arizona
University. In 2013, Coach Peterson was inducted into the Saginaw Valley State Hall of Fame as
a member of the first national championship team in its history (1983 NAIA National
Champions, Indoor Track & Field). Five years later, Coach Peterson was inducted into the 2018
Saginaw Valley State Hall of Fame as a member of the 1978 cross country national
championship runner-up team.

Coach Peterson retired from competitive racing in 2003 and his list of personal records from
middle-distance (1,500m: 3:50.85) to long-distance events (10,000m: 28:56.70 and Marathon:
2:24:41.80), and other events in between, were impressive.

Coach Peterson is employed full-time with MCC as a Student Services Analyst with the
Academic Advisement Department (Business Advisor). He lives in Mesa, Arizona with his wife,
Gina. Their daughter, Autumn, graduated from MCC with her Associate in Arts Psychology
degree in 2021, and graduated from the University of Arizona in 2023 with a Bachelors of Arts
degree in Psychology. Their son, Skylar, transferred from MCC to Michigan in 2017, where he is
currently employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service as an Air Tactical/Air
Attack pilot coordinating aerial firefighting aircraft over wildland fires throughout the United
States. He is also a corporate pilot based out of Traverse City, Michigan with 45 North Aviation.

Coach Peterson believes "Hard work, persistence, and a positive attitude makes all the
difference in attaining your life goals, dreams, and aspirations. The difficult we can do! The
impossible takes a little longer."