Peterson leaves for NM after two seasons
After leading Utah State to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance this past season and a Big West Conference Eastern Division title last year, Utah State head volleyball coach Tom Peterson announced Dec. 13 that he will resign to accept the head coaching job at the University of New Mexico.
In just two years at USU, Peterson turned around a program that had only one winning season in the past 19 years into a top-25 program that compiled a 36-22 overall record over the past two years, including a 21-11 mark in the Big West. The Aggies finished the 2000 season ranked 22 in the country.
“Tom [Peterson] is responsible for some remarkable accomplishments, and we wish him nothing but the best,” said USU Athletics Director Rance Pugmire. “We hate to lose him, but we plan to capitalize on the foundation he has built.
“A good program can continue even though some of the individual faces change,” Pugmire said. “He has helped us establish one, and we don’t want to miss a beat.”
Peterson takes over a program that struggled to a 10-17 overall record and a 5-9 in the Mountain West Conference last season.
“We’re very excited for this opportunity,” Peterson told UNM Media Relations. “We were very impressed with UNM and the people; they won us over. I feel we’re coming to a place that gives lots of support to athletics and I hope that this is going to be a great match.
-USU and UNM Athletic Media Relations