Nic Petersen

Nic Petersen entered his second year as a volunteer assistant coach for the Huskers in 2009. Petersen works in the jumps under 2008 USTFCCCA Hall of Fame inductee and 29-year Nebraska Head Coach Gary Pepin.

During the 2009 indoor season, Petersen helped develop long jumpers Nicholas Gordon and Chris Phipps. Both Gordon and Phipps earned All-America at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships, with Gordon winning the national title with a leap of 26-4 1/4. The national title for Gordon came two weeks after his first Big 12 Championships in the same event with a jump of 26-1 1/2.

 

Since graduating from Nebraska in 2006 with a degree in economics and mathematics, Petersen has earned Level I and II USA Track and Field Coaching Education Certification in the jumps and is pursing education in the throws. He has furthered his coaching skills by working with such athletes as 2008 Olympian and 2008 NCAA indoor high jump champion, Dusty Jonas. Petersen has also worked with two-time NCAA indoor All-American Epley Bullock, as well as NCAA qualifiers Paul Hamilton, Nicholas Gordon, LeRon Williams, Leandra McGruder and Zarinah Suluki-Drakes.

 

Prior to coaching, Petersen excelled on the pole vault runway for the Huskers from 2002-07. Holding a personal best of 17-1 in the vault, Petersen captained three Big 12 Championships teams (indoor-2004/2005 and outdoor-2004). Away from the track he excelled in the classroom, being named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team in 2006 and 2007, while also being a First-Team Academic All-Big 12 pick from 2005-07.