Drew Peterson - Instructor
Drew Peterson completed his 24th season as a collegiate head coach in 2014, while leading his team to his 400th win at Campbell University, and his 700th career win on April 26th, 2014 with a win over Presbyterian College 4-0.
Peterson became the all-time winningest coach in Campbell program history on March 6, 2009, a 10-0 victory against Jacksonville. The ten time conference Coach of the Year has served as the NFCA Publications Coordinator (2005-07) along with being the softball chair for the A-Sun (2003-07), Mid-Central Conference (1994-00) and the NCCAA (1994-97). In 1995, he was chosen by his peers as the NCCAA National Coach of the Year, and was a four-time NCCAA Region Coach of the Year.
During Peterson’s tenure at Campbell, players have earned all-conference recognition 29 times and on 13 occasions his players have been named to the league’s all-freshman unit, with two being named Big South Freshman of the Year. He has also had 34 players named NFCA Academic All-American Scholar-Athletes on 61 different occasions. Annie Lewis (1999-01) was tabbed GTE/Verizon Academic All-American in Petersons first year in Buies Creek, 2001. In 2009, Karlie Love was named to the ESPN The Magazine/Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
While coaching Campbell, the Camels have had victories over several top programs including North Carolina, Virginia and Illinois. In 2008, the Camels picked up arguable the biggest win in the program’s history with a 7-6 come-from-behind elimination-game victory over host school North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament. The 2010 season saw Campbell once again knock off a ranked opponent with a 6-4 victory over the then-No. 22 Tar Heels. The 2011 season was marked by Campbell wins over a pair of ACC opponents in Virginia and North Carolina.
In 14 seasons, Peterson’s clubs have set 54 single-season/career team and individual records for their offensive, defensive and pitching performances. He has led a prolific offense that carried a .300 batting avg. in 2013, second-best in program history. He has coached athletes such as Charlotte, NC native Taylor McGee, who set the program’s all-time home run record with 42. Campbell also completed the program’s final season of play in the A-Sun by leading the conference in runs, triples, home runs and total bases and ranking in the top three in five other offensive categories. In 2010 under Peterson’s guidance the Camels were ranked among the national leaders in double plays per game (3rd – 0.49). The Camels consistently showed prolific power and broke the school home run record with 81 in 2009, ranking third nationally, and Junior pitcher, Brittany Stanley, was named the league’s Pitcher of the Year (first-time as a member of the Atlantic Sun) and being selected as the A-Sun Tournament MVP for the second-consecutive season.
Coach Peterson was elected to the Bethel College Hall of Fame in 2006. While at Bethel, Peterson guided his teams to a 283-150-2 record, six Mid-Central (NAIA) Conference championships, four National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) regional titles and the 1995 NCCAA National Championship. In his 10-year stint at Bethel, Peterson coached four NAIA All-Americans and 13 NCCAA All-Americans.
Peterson entered Bethel in 1987 and played three seasons on the baseball team as a pitcher and middle infielder. Prior to his senior campaign, he was offered the chance of coaching the softball squad. A 1991 graduate of Bethel with a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education, Peterson also earned his Master of Ministries degree from Bethel in 1996.
Peterson is married to the former Jennifer Miller of Plymouth, Ind., and they have four sons.