James Petersen begins his second season at the helm of the men's and women's cross country programs in the fall of 2016.  

In his first season at the helm of the women's cross country team, Petersen led the women's cross country team to a sixth-place finish on the GNAC Championship 10K course in Standish, Maine, and five-regular season meets.

A 2014 graduate of Bentley University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Information Systems, Petersen started and competed with the MASCOT’ triathlon team. During his three-year collegiate career, he qualified twice for the collegiate Draft Legal Nationals as one of the top 75 collegiate men in the country. Away from the collegiate circuit in 2014, Peterson represented Age-Group Team USA at Triathlon Worlds in 2014. As a senior, he was elected the Commissioner of the Northeast Collegiate Triathlon Conference by 25-plus Northeast collegiate triathlon clubs, a post he continues to hold today. Upon graduating, Peterson began his collegiate coaching career when he transitioned from competitor to head coach of Bentley’s triathlon team.  Also during his collegiate tenure, he began his own endurance coaching business, Nor’easter Triathlon, where he coaches triathletes, swimmers, cyclists and runners alike. 

Throughout his training and coaching career Petersen has attained several coaching certifications including USA Triathlon Level II, USA Triathlon Youth and Junior, USA Cycling Level III, USA Track and Field and ASCA. In January 2014 he broaden his coaching knowledge when he took his first visit to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to work with Olympic level athletes and coaches. 

Petersen continues to compete in endurance sports himself with the ultimate goal of becoming a professional triathlete.