Petersen Announces Retirement Following Successful 2023 Season

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Doug Petersen has announced his retirement from USF Athletics after concluding the 2023 Cross Country season.
 
"I'm extremely blessed to have been a part of such an outstanding program over the past 10 years," stated Petersen. "I'd like to thank Dr. Bradfield and the Athletic Administration for believing in me and for their unwavering support of Cougar Track & Field and Cross Country over the years. I'm grateful to have worked with all the outstanding student-athletes over the years and to watch them grow and flourish in all they do along with my exceptional coaching staff. I'm so honored to have been a part of the Cougar Family the past decade and will forever be proud to call myself a USF Cougar!"
 
Petersen has been at the helm of Cougar Track and Field and Cross Country since 2016 and with the program since 2013. The 2018 NSIC Cross Country Coach of the Year has led 14 NSIC Conference Champions and 10 NCAA Division II All-Americans over the course of 10 seasons.
 
Under Petersen, USF has had 77 NSIC All-Conference recipients while landing their first conference title in program history back in 2018. His athletes have set over 25 school records with the most recent being set by 2023 Cross Country All-American Khot Juac as she claimed the highest placing by a USF runner in program history at the NCAA National Championship finishing fifth. In the classroom, the program has  had 107 NSIC All-Academic honorees along with 117 NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence members and 223 D2 CCA All-Academic Athletes
 
Prior to Sioux Falls, Petersen spent 35 years coaching at the high school level and will close his 45-year career next Friday, December 15^th.
 
Associate Head Coach Eric Chilson will assume the head coach position as of December 15^th, 2023. Chilson is currently in his sixth year at the University and second as associate head coach. He joined USF in 2018 and has served as the men's and women's sprints, hurdles and multi events coach as well as their strength and conditioning coach. During his time with the Cougars, he has accounted for three NCAA All-Americans along with 30 NCAA provisional qualifying marks. He has also helped lead USF to 44 NSIC podium finished and 19 school records.
 
"I'm excited for the opportunity to continue the tradition of growing and developing student-athletes at USF," stated Chilson. "Coach Petersen developed a culture of commitment to track and field and cross country and I'm looking forward to remaining devoted to our team. Our track and field and cross country squads already have solid foundations in which we look to continuing building upon. I look forward to working with our student-athletes, coaches, athletic department, University, and the City of Sioux Falls to continue to make what we have here great."
 
Chilson joined USF in 2018 after leading the SMSU sprinters and hurdlers to 21 NSIC All-Conference honors along with 10 school records in two years. Prior to SMSU, he coached the sprinters and hurdlers at Black Hills State and Spearfish High School.
 
Before entering the coaching realms, Chilson was a four-year letter winner at Black Hills State, where he competed in both hurdles and sprints. A two-time conference All-Academic honoree, he was also a two-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) placer in the 110-meter hurdles in 2014 and 2015.
 
Originally from Highmore South Dakota, he is a 2015 graduate of BHSU with a degree in exercise science. Chilson obtained his master's from Southwest Minnesota State University in the spring 2018 and holds an NSCA certification in Strength and Conditioning as well as four USTFCCCA certifications and endorsements.
 
Petersen Career Accomplishments 

• 10 NCAA DII All-Americans 
• 20 NCAA DII National Participants 
• 4 NCAA DII National Cross Country Teams 
• 37 NCAA DII Provisional Qualifying Marks 
• 14 NSIC Conference Champions 
• 1 NSIC Cross Country Coach of the Year 
• 77 NSIC All-Conference Top-3 Performances 
• 13 Women's School Records 
• 12 Men's School Records 
• 76 Women's Top-10 Additions 
• 67 Men's Top-10 Additions