ROME – Bill Peterson is stepping down as Shorter University Director of Athletics, the university announced today. He will retire at the end of the spring 2015 semester.
Peterson and Shorter University President Dr. Don Dowless made the joint announcement Thursday morning. Senior Associate Athletic Director Matt Green will assume interim athletic director duties effective immediately, and Peterson will continue to serve in an advisory capacity through the end of the semester.
Peterson's departure marks the close of a Hall of Fame-worthy tenure that included countless team and individual national championships, hundreds of All-American, All-Academic and All-Conference honors, the growth of the athletic department to 21 varsity programs and nearly 600 student-athletes and, most notably, the successful transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II membership.
"Coach Peterson has guided Shorter Athletics through a tremendous growth period, both in numbers of championships and in student enrollment," Dr. Dowless said. "He has worked diligently to make sure that Shorter University Athletic programs receive national attention and recognition. Under his leadership, the Athletic program has reached out to student-athletes from all over the globe, thus helping the University fulfill its mission of 'Transforming Lives through Christ.' We wish him the Lord's best as he begins a new phase of ministry. He has the heartfelt thanks and love of the Shorter University family."
For a university that had never won a national championship, Peterson delivered 17 in seven different sports, including eight in track and field, four in competitive cheerleading, two in softball and one each in men's basketball, women's golf and women's tennis. Shorter won more than 30 conference championships over that span.
Peterson was named Southern States Athletic Conference Athletic Director of the Year in 2010 and led Shorter to a record No. 2 finish in the 2012 NACDA Director's Cup – the highest finish ever for a Georgia university at any level.
Under Peterson, Shorter introduced Georgia's first four-year varsity intercollegiate wrestling program since the 1980s and one of the state's few Division II men and women's lacrosse programs.
Peterson's relationships with community leaders and term as co-chair of the Rome Championship Host Committee helped attract a number of championship events to Rome, including the NAIA Football National Championship that generated more than $6 million of economic impact over six years and showcased Rome and Floyd County to a national television audience.
In the infant stages of the NCAA era, Peterson and the Hawks continued to collect athletic and academic accolades.
Shorter won its first official Division II conference title in the spring of 2014 as men's track captured the Peach Belt Conference Outdoor championship. The Shorter softball program won the regular season Gulf South Conference (GSC) title several weeks later and eventually claimed the NCCAA national crown.
This fall, Shorter volleyball won the regular season GSC championship and advanced to the school's first-ever NCAA Division II National Tournament. Shorter men's soccer advanced to the GSC Tournament championship match and women's golf claimed the NCCAA national title.
Just last week, four Shorter wrestlers qualified for the NCAA Division II Wrestling National Championships with 184-pounder Terence Smith becoming Shorter's first NCAA All-American. Ayana Walker became Shorter's first NCAA national champion by winning the 400 meters at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships.
In the classroom, Shorter has led the Gulf South Conference in Academic Honor Roll honorees in each of the past two years, with well over 120 annually. Thus far in 2014-15, Shorter again led the GSC in fall Academic Honor Roll selections while nearly half of Shorter's 550 student-athletes currently boast a 3.0 grade-point average or better.
Championships and measurable accomplishments are only a fraction of Peterson's legacy. His true impact is evident in the coaches and staff members that he has mentored.
In Peterson's eight years, Shorter saw just two coaching changes, a remarkable feat given Shorter's national success. Shorter has seen over 40 former student-athletes become coaches on the high school or college level and the university's membership in NCAA Division II has generated numerous professional development opportunities for athletics staff members.
Peterson was a mainstay at athletic events, easily recognizable in his regular spots at each athletic venue. In addition to his daily commute to Rome from Powder Springs, Peterson traveled to countless road games to support the Hawks. His passion for his coaches was matched only by his passion for Shorter student-athletes.
"Bill Peterson is one of the finest men I have ever been around and is a leader in every sense of the word," said Green, whom Peterson brought to Shorter in 2009. "He has impacted my life in so many ways, and it has been an honor serving under him. He taught all who worked for him how to bring out the best in ourselves, each other, and the student-athletes we serve. I am a better person for each day I spent with him and will be forever grateful for his guidance and friendship. We in Athletics fully understand and look forward to the challenge of continuing his outstanding legacy."
Peterson spent his years prior to Shorter working in the private sector, serving as President and co-founder of Horizon Medical Products, before coaching baseball at Mount Paran Christian School in Kennesaw, where he was named Atlanta-Journal Constitution Coach of the Year after leading Mount Paran to the state finals.
Peterson first came to Shorter in 2005, volunteering as the football program's recruiting coordinator. Less than three years later, Peterson was named Director of Athletics, forever changing the course of Shorter Athletics.
