FEATURE FROM 2018 FOOTBALL YEARBOOK (PDF)
Drew Petersen ('91, MA, Physical Education) has been the Strength and Conditioning Coach for Cal Poly Humboldt's Athletic Department since 1991.Â
Petersen began the strength and conditioning program at Humboldt in 1991 and is responsible for the design and implementation of the year round strength and conditioning program for all 12 intercollegiate athletic teams. He has coached 55 strength and conditioning All-Americans and mentored and developed numerous strength and conditioning coaches throughout the years, many of whom have gone on to become NCAA Division I, II and III coaches as well as a head NFL strength and conditioning coach.
As a faculty member in the Department of Kinesiology, Petersen teaches all of the strength fitness and weight training courses, inspiring students to incorporate concepts of health and fitness into their daily lives.
He earned a BA in exercise physiology from Chico State in 1990 followed by an MA in exercise science from Cal Poly Humboldt (formerly Humboldt State) in 1991. Petersen is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and United States Weightlifting as a Level 1 Coach. He was recently awarded the NSCA's CSCS-E, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Emeritus, the highest level of certification in the field with 25+ years of service. In 2015, Petersen was recognized as a finalist for the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year at the annual National Strength and Conditioning Association convention.
In 2021, Petersen was a recipient of the Humboldt Distinguished Alumni Award.
A native of Olivehust, Calif., Petersen is a US Marine Corps veteran. Petersen and his wife Paula reside in McKinleyville with their daughter Abby and their son Bryce.
