Derrick Peterson
Derrick Peterson

Player Profile
Position:
Asst. Coach/Sprints
Alma Mater:
Missouri '00

Derrick Peterson enters his ninth year on the Missouri Track and Field staff and will enter his third year as a Tiger assistant coach. Peterson is responsible for the sprint and hurdle groups.

During his collegiate career at Missouri, Peterson was an eight-time Big 12 Champion at 800 meters, sweeping all possible titles in his time at Mizzou. The 2004 Olympian brings a unique perspective to Tiger student-athletes as his experiences as an elite runner helps his approach at training and the mental aspect of competition.

In 2008, Peterson had athletes accomplish All-Big 12 honors in the 4x400-meter relays. In addition, the Tiger women's sprint medley relay placed third at the Drake Relays. JaNay Woolridge tied a school record in the 60-meter hurdles. Walk-on Blossom Nwaneri scored an All-Big 12 performance at 600 yards in 2008.

At the 2007 Drake Relays, the men's sprint medley relay recorded its best finish at the prestigious relays since 1999 with a fourth-place showing.

Peterson also guided Greg Bracey to qualification to the NCAA Regional in both the 100- and 200-meter events in 2007.

In 2004, Peterson made the U.S. Olympic Team in the 800-meters after running for a personal-best time of 1:45.08 at the U.S. Olympic Trials where he finished third. The former NCAA Champion and six-time All-American is still the American collegiate record holder in the indoor 800-meter run after his winning time of 1:45.88 at the 1999 NCAA Indoor Championships in Indianapolis, Ind.

Peterson in his years as a collegian from 1997 to 2000 was a nine-time overall Big 12 Champion, 15-time All-Big 12 performer, and five-time Drake Relays Champion. Peterson holds both the Mizzou school records in both the indoor and outdoor 800-meter run. At the World University Games, Peterson won a gold medal as a member of the 1600-meter relay team and won both silver (2001) and bronze (1999) in the 800m.

Peterson also qualified for the 2001 IAAF World Outdoor Championships and the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships.

Peterson is a 2000 graduate from the University with a degree in hotel and restaurant management.

Peterson is also a coach to Mizzou volunteer assistant Domenik Peterson who has personal bests of 20.43 and 45.15, respectively, at 200 and 400 meters.

Peterson was inducted into the University of Missouri's Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame, elected on the first ballot as part of the Class of 2005. Peterson is also a member of the Georgia High School Hall of Fame.

Derrick and his wife, the former Liz Young, live in Columbia, and have two children, Issac (7), and Athena (2).

Track & Field Teams Earn Academic Honors

08/11/2009 - Track

Both the Mizzou men's and women's track & field teams were recognized as Division I All-Academic teams as announced by the U.S. Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). This marks the 43rd-consecutive season that the women's track & field/cross country program has earned this distinction. The award is presented to track & field programs that have an average grade-point-average above 3.00.

Adcock Places Fifth at Thorpe Cup

08/10/2009 - Track

University of Missouri track & field junior Nick Adcock placed fifth overall amongst a field of 14 elite Decathletes this past weekend as part of the Thorpe Cup competition in Marburg, Germany. The competitors at the meet included multiple Olympians and former national champions.

Farmer Finishes Seventh In Championships

06/29/2009 - Track

Leslie Farmer finished seventh overall in the 400-meter hurdle finals on the last day of the U.S. Track and Field Championships, while past Tiger champion Christian Cantwell won the men's shot put and will head into international competition as the one of the top throwers in the world.

Farmer Makes Hurdle Finals

06/27/2009 - Track

The bulk of Missouri athletes competing in the 2009 U.S. Track and Field Championships took part on the second to last day of the event, with the most notable performance coming from freshman Tiger Leslie Farmer who qualified for the finals of the women's 400-meter hurdles.

Adcock To Represent USA In Germany

06/27/2009 - Track

A personal record in the javelin and his second best day ever in a competition, Nick Adcock finished seventh in the decathlon on the third day of the U.S. Track and Field Championships and will represent the United States in the Thorpe Cup Decathlon in Berlin, Germany.