Hall of Famer Dean Peterson ’94 returned to the Allegheny baseball program as assistant coach before the 2019-20 academic year.
Peterson concluded his three-year career as one of the most dominant closers in NCAA Division III history. He finished with a 6-6 record and 26 saves, which were the second most in D-III lore at the time and remain tied for 18th. In consecutive seasons, 1992-93, he led the nation in the statistic, posting nine in 1992 before turning in a school and then-NCAA record 12 saves in 1993. His performance was enough to draw the interest of professional scouts as the Boston Red Sox drafted Peterson in the ninth round (247th overall) of the 1993 Major League Baseball draft following his junior campaign.
The right-handed pitcher went on to complete five seasons in the minor leagues, posting a career professional record of 24-28 with 11 saves and a 4.26 ERA. He also struckout 308 batters in 435.2 innings, reaching AAA with Pawtucket, and having additional stops in Utica (N.Y.; New York-Penn League), GCL Red Sox (Fla.; Gulf Coast League), Sarasota (Fla.; Florida State League) and Trenton (N.J.; Eastern League). Following his playing career, the Cortland, Ohio native returned to Allegheny, where he worked as an assistant coach while finishing his degree, which he earned in political science in 2001. Peterson also holds a master of divinity degree in pastoral counseling from Liberty University.
After leaving Allegheny in 2001 -- the same year he was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame -- Peterson worked for the United States Secret Service and then Mondelez Global, while also volunteering with baseball programs including of various levels: Messiah College, Smithsburg (Md.) High School and the Smithsburg Little Sluggers.
