Gustavus Adolphus College

Andrea Peterson, a 2007 Gustavus graduate, returned to the Gustie coaching staff in 2022 after previously serving as a high school girls' hockey coach. Peterson was an assistant coach at Gustavus from 2007-11 before moving on to New Prague Area Schools where she was a physical education teacher and head girls' hockey coach from 2012-18. Since 2015, Peterson has taught at Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools and was an assistant girls' hockey coach at Prior Lake from 2019-22. Peterson was promoted to Associate Head Coach at Gustavus in June of 2024. 

The Gustavus women's hockey team has claimed six MIAC regular season titles, six playoff championships, six NCAA tournament appearances, and a national championship in Peterson's seven total years. Last season, the Gusties collected their fourth consecutive MIAC championship sweep, punching a ticket to the NCAA tourney, where they fell to eventual national champions UW-River Falls in the quarterfinals. Peterson, primarily coaching defenders, has help build the nation's premier defense, producing three All-American defenders who have earned five honors, including three-time All-American and now fellow coach Kirstin Peterson. The Gusties have led Division III in scoring defense several seasons, and led the country in team shutouts in the last three consecutive years.

Peterson became one of the greatest Division III women’s hockey players of all time in her career, and is in a league of her own when looking at the rich history of the Gustavus women’s hockey program. Peterson is the only player in the history of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) to be selected Player of the Year all four seasons. Recognized as the most competitive skater on the ice whenever she played, Peterson earned All-America honors all four years and finished her collegiate career as the 2006-07 Laura Hurd Award winner (Division III Player of the Year) and the Gustavus Female Athlete of the Year.

Peterson led the nation in scoring as a defender during her freshman and senior seasons and holds the Division III record for most career points scored by a defender. Her 185 career points are the most in program history and rank third all-time among all Division III women’s hockey players. Peterson also holds the program record with 107 career assists, ranking second in Division III history, while her 78 career goals rank second at Gustavus.

Impressive hands paired with phenomenal shooting ability allowed Peterson to score 23 power play goals, which ranks fourth in Division III history. Playing her best in big moments, Peterson led the Gusties to three MIAC regular season championships, four MIAC playoff championships, and four NCAA tournament appearances, highlighted by an NCAA third-place finish in 2005. During her four seasons, Peterson and the Gusties accumulated an overall record of 94-18-3 and went 67-4-1 in the MIAC. She was inducted into the Gustavus Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022.

Peterson resides in Minneapolis.

Hall of Fame Profile