Gustavus Adolphus College

Peter Haugen, a native of Minneapolis and a 1991 graduate of Bethel University, is entering his 17th year as head football coach at Gustavus Adolphus College in the 2025-26 academic year.

Haugen led the 2023 football team to its first MIAC championship game since 1987, finishing 6-4 overall and 5-2 in the MIAC. The Gusties, after defeating nationally-ranked No. 7 Saint John's for the first time in 10 years, won the Northwoods Division for the first time since the conference's divisional structure was created. Haugen has compiled a number of accomplishments in the program's last three years, posting the best overall record since 1998 in 2021 (8-2) and recording the largest margin of victory on Oct. 8 of the 2022 season, defeating St. Scholastica 77-7.

The 2023 postseason awards were highlighted by Jake Breitbach, who became the most decorated player in Gustavus football history after a stand-out year at wide receiver. Breitbach, the 2023-24 Gustavus Athletics Co-Male Athelte of the Year, was a CSC First Team Academic All-American, the Bobby Bell Division III Impact Player of the Year, and a top-five finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, honoring the most outstanding football player in Division III. Breitbach was also selected as an All-American by the Associated Press (Second Team), D3football.com (Third Team), and the AFCA (Second Team), becoming just the second Gustie to receive All-America honors from three separate organizations in the same season. He was named MIAC Offensive Player of the Year and earned his third All-Conference selection after leading the Gustavus offense with record numbers. He finished the regular season with 1,599 receiving yards, 110 receptions, and 13 receiving touchdowns, which put him second in all NCAA Divisions (FBS, FCS, DII, DIII) for receiving yards per game (159.9), receptions per game (11.0), and total receiving yards.

Joining Breitbach in the MIAC awards were 10 teammates who earned All-Conference distinction. Carson DeKam was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year, collected All-Region distinction alongside Breitbach, and earned his third All-Conference selection. Other Gusties earning All-MIAC status included George Sandven, Rohee Konde, Matthew Carreon, Zachary Claassen, Sam Stafsholt, Javier Gratacos, Isaiah Chambers, River Wood, and Andrew Abegglen.

In 15 seasons at the head of the Gustavus Adolphus football program, Haugen has compiled an overall record of 76-64.

Haugen, who was the head football coach at Washburn High School for 15 years prior to coming to Gustavus, compiled an overall record of 111-44 during that span, while winning 11 league championships and posting a league record of 76–8. He directed the Millers to the Class AAAA quarterfinals in 2007 finishing with a mark of 9–3. In his last season as the Millers’ head coach, Haugen’s squad posted a mark of 8–2. While building the program at Washburn, Haugen increased player participation from 35 players in 1994 to 110 players in 2008. He also implemented academic monitoring and meal programs for student-athletes as well as creating and directing the highly successful Washburn Athletic Leadership Academy.

He has also served as the chair of the Minneapolis Football Conference and he is an active clinician working at many local and regional clinics including the NIKE Coach of the Year clinic. Haugen was also a member of the Metro coaching staff for the Minnesota All-Star game in 1998. He started his coaching career at his alma mater, serving as the offensive line coach during the 1992 and 1993 seasons.

A three-sport standout at Bethel, Haugen was a starting tight end on the football team, a starting goaltender on the hockey team, and a starting catcher on the baseball team in the late ’80s and early ’90s. In his senior year, he earned all-conference honors in football, and was selected Most Valuable Player of the hockey team.

Haugen became the 17th head coach in the history of Gustavus football in 2009. The Golden Gusties have a long and storied football tradition that includes 22 MIAC titles. The program ranks in the top-50 all-time in Division III (out of 235 institutions) with a 58.6 winning percentage (530–372–21). Along with great teams, Gustavus has also been blessed with many outstanding individual players, which includes 32 All-America honors, 18 CSC Academic All-America honors, and five NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships. 

Peter, and his wife, Brenda, live in Saint Peter and have three children, Zeke '20, Zoe '22, and Zetta '28.