Pacific University Athletics

Matt Petersen is in his sixth season as an Assistant Men's Basketball Coach at Pacific University.

The 2023-2024 season marked a historic turning point for Pacific men's basketball as the team finished 15-11 overall  and 9-7 in the Northwest Conference. The season was defined by a series of milestones, including the team's first winning record in 10 years and only the third winning season in the last 25 years. Additionally, the Boxers reached the NWC semifinals, clinching a third place regular season finish, and securing their first postseason play since the 1999-2000 season, ending a 24-year drought. Individual accolades abounded, with Devin Fortune and Luke Winkler both earning NWC Player of the Week honors, and Winkler securing a spot on the First team All-NWC, while Jake Blazona received an honorable mention.

Before joining the Pacific coaching staff, he was an assistant coach for two seasons at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. In 2017-18, the Lynx averaged 106.5 points per game - third in NCAA Division III. Rhodes was fifth in the nation in 3-point field goals per game (13.0) and turnovers forced per game (24.15). In his first season at Rhodes, they posted an 18-11 record, winning the SAA regular season and conference tournament for the first time in program history. The Lynx reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1993, finishing third in the nation in scoring (109.2 ppg) and in three-point field goals made per game (15.2) as well as leading the nation in assists per game (23.6), second in steals (15.4) and third in turnovers forced (27.4). 

Petersen served as an assistant on the women's side at Knox College and as the head varsity boys basketball coach at South Elgin High School in South Elgin, Illinois. He inherited a boys basketball program that was coming off a five-win season in 2012-13. Then, he guided that team to a 13-win improvement finishing with an 18-15 record, capturing an IHSA Class 4A Regional Championship, and advancing to the Sweet 16, the program’s best finish in school history and the best finish of any program in the school's history.

He began his coaching career as a boy’s basketball assistant at University High School in Normal, Illinois before returning to Hall High School in Spring Valley, Illinois, his alma mater, as the varsity boy’s basketball assistant.  
 
Petersen also founded the Illinois Valley Starz Girls Basketball AAU Program, which competed nationally from 2002-2008 at the 17-under, 15-under, and 13-under levels. His AAU coaching concluded at one of the nation's premier AAU programs, the Illinois Lady Lightning.

As a student-athlete, Petersen played collegiately at Iowa Wesleyan College, as well as finishing twice as the IHSA State runner-up in high school. 

He earned his bachelor's degree from Illinois State University in Education.