Russ Peterson (coach)

Russell E. Peterson (about 1907 to 1996) was an American multi-sport coach who played football and lacrosse at Springfield College in Massachusetts, graduating in 1932. In 1933 American International College hired him as its first athletic director, and he founded its basketball program that year and its football, baseball and soccer programs in 1934. He later coached at Boston University, where he led the basketball team from 1945 to 1948 and served as head baseball coach, and he finished his career as athletic director for the Springfield, Massachusetts public schools, retiring in 1970. He died in 1996 at the age of 89.