Peterson, who replaced Charlie Mitchell, began his duties at NSU after a highly successful stint as a high school and NAIA soccer coach. He is only the fourth coach to direct the Redmen soccer program since it became a varsity sport in 1981.
"I am extremely excited to be named the men’s head soccer coach at NSU," said Peterson who earned distinction as the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) coach of the year in 2004 while leading Bethany College (KS) to an 11-7 mark in only his second season. "Coach Mitchell left the program in excellent shape and I am very confident that the program will continue to be successful."
According to Eddie Griffin, Director of Athletics, NSU decided to split men’s and women’s soccer by hiring two new head coaches after Mitchell’s resignation. He believes having a head coach responsible for each program will greatly enhance Northeastern’s ability to compete on a national level in both sports.
A native of Broken Arrow, Peterson played collegiate soccer for the Redmen from 1992-1996 and earned his bachelor’s degree in 1997. He went on to coach boys and girls soccer at Rogers (Ark.) High School from 1998-2001 where he logged a combined record of 83-30-1. Peterson also coached an Olympic Development Team in Arkansas during the same span before accepting a position as the director of the Rogers Youth/Adult Soccer League where over 1,000 participants enrolled annually.
"Bobby Peterson has done amazing things in such a short period of time and there’s no doubt his expertise will pay dividends for Redmen soccer," said Griffin. "Bobby and his wife, Krista, and their children will be a great asset for NSU and the Tahlequah community.
A member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), Peterson holds the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) National "Y" license, a USSF National "B" license and the NSCAA Level II Goalkeeper diploma.
Peterson ranks among leaders in three different Redmen soccer records. His 10 assists during the 1996 campaign ranks in a tie for fifth, he recorded an assist in three consecutive games, also in 1996, which is second, and his 20 assists in a career is fourth-best all-time.
"The opportunity to come home and coach at my alma mater has been a desire of mine for many years," he said. "The athletic facilities at NSU are first class. This is a great opportunity for my family and me. We are extremely excited to be back in Tahlequah.
"I am looking forward to coaching in the Southwest Soccer Conference. I am very familiar with the coaches and teams in the conference and look forward to competing against those schools."
