University of South Dakota Men's Basketball

Peterson joined South Dakota's staff in the spring of 2014 after serving for two years as athletics director and head men's basketball coach at Williston State College (N.D.). In that time, the Tetons were 52-15 with a 2014 Mon-Dak Conference Championship and a 2013 Region XIII Championship.   In two seasons in Vermillion, Peterson has helped lead the Coyotes to their first winning season in four years, the programs first Summit League Tournament victory, and, most recently, to road wins against Minnesota and Milwaukee along with a victory against Florida Gulf Coast inside The Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls. In addition, the program qualified for its fourth consecutive Summit League Tournament.   South Dakota won 17 games in Petersons first season of 2014-15. The Coyotes, picked to finish eighth in the Summit Leagues preseason poll, tied for fourth behind the emergence of senior guard Tyler Larson, who became the first Coyote to earn first-team all-Summit League honors. Larson was one of three players in the nation who averaged at least 14 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.   Peterson was the lead assistant at Williston State from 2005-09, then spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Minnesota State Moorhead before returning to Williston. He coached six All-Americans at WSC.   The Tetons won 27 games in Petersons last season with the team, had the best win percentage in program history, and earned their first-ever top 25 national ranking. During his two-year tenure, Peterson coached two NJCAA All-Americans and was named Region XIII and Mon-Dak Coach of the Year once each.   As an athletic director, Peterson was paramount in the continual growth of Teton Athletics. From guiding the implementation of Teton Hockey and Teton Softball to the new look of T.O. Court, new locker rooms, and many other projects throughout his tenure. Peterson's presence will be felt at Williston State for many years to come.   From 2003-09, Peterson coached with Ritchie Davis and the most prestigious AAU program in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Playground Warriors out of Kaukauna.   In 2011 with Peterson on its bench, Minnesota State Moorhead earned its first winning season in 10 years. The following year, the Dragons won their first 11 games and were ranked as high No. 16 in the country. They would go on to qualify for the NCAA tournament and earned their first playoff win since 1965.   Peterson hails from West Salem, Wis., and graduated from UW-La Crosse in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in physical education. He also holds a masters degree in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in sports management and education from the University of South Dakota.   Peterson and his wife, Lindsey, have a daughter, Flynn (4) and a son, Isaiah (1).