Wisconsin Hall of Fame Class of 2013: Peter Tegen

Tegen led Badgers to two national titles and coached 43 national champions







Every day this week leading up to the induction ceremony, one of the eight members of the University of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame class of 2013 will be celebrated. The Hall of Fame induction is Friday, Aug. 30 outside the Camp Randall Memorial Sports Center. The 5 p.m. ceremony is open to the public. Today's honoree is former Wisconsin track and field and cross country coach Peter Tegen.

Aug. 25, 2013

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MADISON, Wis. -- A legend in the track and field community, Peter Tegen led the Wisconsin women’s cross country and track and field program to success on the conference and national stage during his 30 years as head coach.



Peter Tegen


Under Tegen, the Badgers produced 43 national champions, 249 All-Americans and 236 Big Ten individual champions. He won two national titles in Madison as the cross country squads won national championships in 1984 and 1985, and coached five NCAA runner-up teams in track and cross country. In addition, the Cardinal and White won an astonishing 39 Big Ten titles, a conference record, during Tegen’s tenure.

The first women’s track and field coach to be inducted into the Drake Relays Hall of Fame, Tegen mentored three Olympians in Cindy Bremser, Suzy-Favor Hamilton and Kathy Butler. He also served as a coach for the United States national women’s cross country team at the world championships in 1997 and after he retired from collegiate coaching in 2009.

Not only did Tegen’s athletes excel on the track, but they also racked up numerous academic honors. Eight of his UW athletes earned Academic All-American accolades, while the Badgers accumulated 288 Big Ten academic honors during his time.

A five-time national cross country coach of the year during his career, he was honored by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association as the organization named its national women’s cross country coach of the year honor after Tegen.

Courtesy Wisconsin