In 25 years at the helm of the Middle Tennessee State baseball program (1988-2012), Steve Peterson, who passed away in 2020, was the Blue Raiders’ all-time winningest coach. He led the program to nine regular-season conference championships, nine conference tournament titles and 11 NCAA Regional berths, including two at-large selections. He guided the Blue Raiders to eight consecutive championships - either regular season or tournament - from 1990-97.
Peterson wrapped up his career with a 791-637-3 (.552) mark at Middle Tennessee and a 944-733-3 (.562) career mark, producing 16 seasons with 30 or more wins, including a school-record 44 victories in 2009. He also had four campaigns of at least 40 wins.
Peterson served as head coach at Roane State Community College in Harriman, Tennessee from 1979 to 1984, leading the program to a 153-96 (.614) record. Peterson's teams won a Tennessee state title in 1981, and he was twice named TJCAA Coach of the Year (1981, '84).
In 2001, after years of success in the Ohio Valley Conference, Peterson oversaw the Blue Raiders' transition to the Sun Belt Conference. In their first five years in the Sun Belt, Peterson's teams won two regular-season championships and a tournament championship. His teams also earned three NCAA Regional berths, including two at-large selections for the first time in school history.
At Middle Tennessee, Peterson coached 44 first-team All-Conference performers including seven Conference Players of the Year, two Conference Pitchers of the Year and two Sun Belt Freshmen of the Year. He also coached two first-team All-Americans, five third-team All-Americans and five Freshman All-Americans.
Peterson was a two-time OVC Coach of the Year, was named the 2004 Sun Belt Coach of the Year and was recognized as the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association College Coach of the Year in 1992, 2000 and 2009. He was named an ABCA/Diamond Regional Coach of the Year in 2009.
Peterson saw 71 former players earn the chance to play at the professional level, with eight making their way to the Major Leagues. Many former Blue Raiders are also currently coaching at the high school, college, or professional levels.
Peterson served as an assistant coach at Middle Tennessee from 1976-78 and 1985-87, helping the Blue Raiders win two OVC titles and four Southern Division crowns.
Peterson has been inducted into the Rutherford County Old Timers Baseball Hall of Fame, the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the Huntsville-Madison County (AL) Athletic Hall of Fame and the Blue Raider Hall of Fame by Middle Tennessee State University.
A native of Huntsville, Alabama, Peterson stood out as a catcher under Rudy Abbott at Jacksonville State. He earned his bachelor's degree from Jacksonville State in 1973 and later earned a master's degree from Middle Tennessee in 1977.
The former Lifetime ABCA member was involved with the association for over 40 years, including a stint on the ABCA NCAA Div. I All-America and Coach of the Year Committee.
