Dan Peterson
Encyclopedia
Dan Peterson is a former American professional
basketball
head coach
. He resigned his most recent position as the head coach of Olimpia Milano
in the Italian Serie A1
after the team was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 2011 Italian league playoffs. The team has announced that he will assume another role (not yet announced) with the club. He is nicknamed "The Coach" for his legacy in Italian basketball.
in Evanston, Ill. He received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University
in Evanston and a masters degree from the University of Michigan
.
. The next year, at the age of 30, he became head coach at the University of Delaware
. In five years there, he assembled a record of 69 wins and 49 losses.
in the Italian Serie A1
, winning the 1974 "Coppa Italia" and, in 1976, the Italian league title. In 1978 he was hired as head coach of Olimpia Milano
where he won four Italian titles (1982, 1985, 1986, 1987), two more "Coppa Italia" awards (1986, 1987), a Korać Cup
(1985) and one Champions Cup
, the highest title in Europe for basketball.
. He still holds records for a coach in Italian playoffs with 11 Final Four appearances in 11 years (after which a playoff
format was introduced), 9 finals, 4 titles, 74 games coached, and 51 games won.
.
in 1995.
In 2007, Peterson was named a Distinguished Alumnus of Evanston Township High School
.
In 2008, he was named one of the 50 most influential European club basketball personalities over the last half-century.
A poll says that he is the foreigner with the most sexy voice in Italy.
after the dismissal of Piero Bucchi.
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
. He resigned his most recent position as the head coach of Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red...
in the Italian Serie A1
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
after the team was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 2011 Italian league playoffs. The team has announced that he will assume another role (not yet announced) with the club. He is nicknamed "The Coach" for his legacy in Italian basketball.
Education
Peterson went to Evanston Township High SchoolEvanston Township High School
Evanston Township High School District 202, is a four-year, comprehensive high school occupying a campus in Evanston, Illinois, a Chicago suburb along the Lake Michigan shore. ETHS serves the multiracial city of Evanston and a small portion of the neighboring village of Skokie, for a total...
in Evanston, Ill. He received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in Evanston and a masters degree from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
.
Early career
He served as assistant coach for NAIA school McKendree College from 1962 to 1963. From 1963 to 1964 he served as freshmen coach at Michigan State. After MSU, for one season, he was plebe coach at the United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. The next year, at the age of 30, he became head coach at the University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
. In five years there, he assembled a record of 69 wins and 49 losses.
Abroad
In 1971, he went abroad, acting as head coach of the Chilean national team until 1973. Peterson took his Chilean team on a grueling tour of the United States in 1972. From 1973–1978, he coached Virtus BolognaVirtus Bologna
-Notable players: Marco Bonamico 9 seasons: '75-'76, '77-'78, '80-'86, '88-'89 Carlo Caglieris 6 seasons: '75-'81 Pietro Generali 6 seasons: '75-'76, '78-'83 Gianni Bertolotti 5 seasons: '75-'80 Terry Driscoll 3 seasons: '75-'78 Eric Luc Leclerc 1 season: '75-'76 Luigi Serafini 2 seasons: '75-'77...
in the Italian Serie A1
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
, winning the 1974 "Coppa Italia" and, in 1976, the Italian league title. In 1978 he was hired as head coach of Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red...
where he won four Italian titles (1982, 1985, 1986, 1987), two more "Coppa Italia" awards (1986, 1987), a Korać Cup
Korac Cup
The Korać Cup was an annual basketball club competition held by FIBA between the 1971-72 and 2001-02 seasons. It was the third-tier level club competition in European basketball, after the European Champions' Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup...
(1985) and one Champions Cup
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
, the highest title in Europe for basketball.
Retirement
In 1987 he retired after coaching in Italy for 14 years, but he resumed coaching on January 3, 2011, with Olimpia MilanoOlimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red...
. He still holds records for a coach in Italian playoffs with 11 Final Four appearances in 11 years (after which a playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
format was introduced), 9 finals, 4 titles, 74 games coached, and 51 games won.
Commentator
After his retirement he became a popular sports commentator for many Italian television channels. He's currently doing color commentary on the Italian channel SportitaliaSportitalia
Sportitalia is an Italian terrestrial and satellite television channel specialized in sports broadcasting 24 hours a day. Sports broadcast include soccer, basketball, tennis, cycling, volley, motoristic sports, rugby, wrestling; informations about other sports is also...
.
Awards
He received the Coach of the Year award for Europe from the WABC and the Coach of the Year for Italy twice. Following his retirement from coaching, he was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Hall of FameHall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
in 1995.
In 2007, Peterson was named a Distinguished Alumnus of Evanston Township High School
Evanston Township High School
Evanston Township High School District 202, is a four-year, comprehensive high school occupying a campus in Evanston, Illinois, a Chicago suburb along the Lake Michigan shore. ETHS serves the multiracial city of Evanston and a small portion of the neighboring village of Skokie, for a total...
.
In 2008, he was named one of the 50 most influential European club basketball personalities over the last half-century.
A poll says that he is the foreigner with the most sexy voice in Italy.
Comeback
On January 3, 2011 he became the new head coach of Olimpia MilanoOlimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red...
after the dismissal of Piero Bucchi.