July 18, 2014
This summer, GoTerriers.com will once again count down the top 12 achievements of Boston University teams and student-athletes from the previous year. Check back each Tuesday and Friday as we reveal this year's Terrier Twelve.
Coming in at No. 8 in this year's Terrier Twelve is Rich Peters' All-American season for the Boston University men's track & field team.
Peters began his outstanding 2013-14 campaign with a strong cross country season. He finished second at both the New England Championship and the Patriot League Championship before posting a top-50 finish at the NCAA Northeast Regional.
The Bristol, England, native then turned in one of the finest indoor seasons in program history. He broke three school records as well as an NCAA record en route to an All-America selection. The first record that fell was Eirik Hansen's 27-year-old 3,000m run mark. Peters' time of 7:52.61 at the John Thomas Terrier Invitational was over two seconds faster than Hansen's 7:54.93.
At the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in February, Peters eclipsed his own school record in the mile with a time of 3:57.27. He followed that performance with a victory in that same event at the Patriot League Championships en route to being named Patriot League Male Track Athlete of the Meet. Peters also claimed first place in the 1,000m run at the conference championships, foreshadowing his third and final indoor record run.
In the final home meet of the season, the BU Last Chance Meet, Peters set a new collegiate record in the 1,000m run with a time of 2:18.55, nearly a second faster than the previous NCAA best set in 2012 (2:19.53). He carried that momentum into the NCAA Championships, where he attempted a double in the mile and the 3,000m run. After winning his semifinal heat in the mile, Peters placed fourth in the final to earn his second top-five finish in the national final of the mile before bowing out of the 3,000m run. Peters was named a USTFCCCA First-Team All-American, his second first-team indoor honor.
Along with his national awards, Peters was also recognized by the university for his achievements. He joined men's ice hockey legend Jack O'Callahan as the only two-time winner of the Mickey Cochrane Award as the top male athlete. Peters previously won the award in 2012.
Making his outdoor debut at the Patriot League Championships, Peters won the 1,500m run to help BU claim third place as a team. He then surpassed his school record with a time of 3:38.83 as part of an elite field at the USATF High Performance Distance Classic. After advancing out of the NCAA East prelims, Peters finished sixth in his semifinal heat at the NCAA Championships and earned USTFCCCA Second-Team All-America accolades.
Peters will enter his final year of eligibility in 2014-15, competing in both the indoor season and the outdoor season.
The Terrier Twelve
No. 9 - Men's Rowing Finishes Sixth at IRAs
No. 10 - Taffur Closes Out Great Career
No. 11 - Nasson Makes NCAA Debut
No. 12 - A New Era Begins
