The Peters Cup
Each year the winner of the NCHA Playoff Championship earns the right to keep the playoff trophy in its possession. The trophy was originally donated to the NCHA by the Green Knights Center Ice Club, a booster group of St. Norbert College hockey, in 1998.
In 1999 the trophy got its name - The Peters Cup - after long-time Bemidji State coach Bob Peters. In sculpting the Beavers into a national powerhouse, Peters has won 728 games and 13 National Championships. Only one coach in the sport of collegiate hockey (Ron Mason-Michigan State) has won more games than Peters.
Each year the winning team gets to keep the Cup and is responsible for having a plaque engraved and put on the trophy. The plaque lists the team's roster, coaches and any other hockey team personel. When a new champion is crowned, the old plaque is taken off and kept by the team, and a new plaque is made. Also on the trophy is a chronological order of champions with the year and winning team listed.
It was 1966 when a young coach from North Dakota decided that he would leave the NCAA Div. I hockey program he was currently coaching in lieu of a small college program in its early stages of existence. The coach was Bob Peters.
Although the early molds had already been placed by previous coaches, and in particular Vic Weber, it was Peters who began to shape the BSU program into a recognizable masterpiece. Peters' 33 year work in progress has already earned him more than his fair share of accolades, and as the Beavers move forward to NCAA Div. I status, Peters will begin work on perhaps his finest piece yet.
A 1960 graduate of the University of North Dakota, Peters spent his collegiate days playing goaltender for the Fighting Sioux. He coached on the high school level for one season before rejoining the UND staff as an assistant coach. In 1964, Peters was named the head coach of the Sioux and during his initial campaign his team won the WCHA championship and finished third at the NCAA Championships, while Peters garnered WCHA Coach of the Year honors. Peters finished his reign at UND with a 42-20-1 coaching mark.
In 1966, Peters moved to Bemidji and within three years his team captured its first NAIA National title. There would be more victories and more championships to come, as Peters helped make Bemidji State synonymous with winning hockey.
Peters owns the distinction of being the only collegiate head coach to have teams reach the final four in each division of national collegiate hockey championships; NCAA-I, NCAA-II, NCAA-III and the NAIA (which no longer sanctions a hockey championship). Peters also holds college hockey records for most wins in an undefeated season (31-0, 1984), and the longest unbeaten streak at 43 straight games (Nov. 8, 1983 to Jan. 1, 1985).
In addition to his hockey duties, Peters is also the Hockey Athletic Director at Bemidji State University.
Bob and wife Lou, who reside in Bemidji, have a son, Steve and daughter, Barbara Ann.
PETERS COACHING RECORD
Year School Record / Notes
1998-99 Bemidji State 17-13-0
1997-98 Bemidji State 22-10-2
1996-97 Bemidji State 25-7-2 NCAA II National Champions
1995-96 Bemidji State 16-9-4
1994-95 Bemidji State 24-7-2 NCAA II National Champions, NCHA Champions
1993-94 Bemidji State 21-9-3 NCAA II National Champions
1992-93 Bemidji State 24-7-0 NCAA II National Champions
1991-92 Bemidji State 16-9-5
1990-91 Bemidji State 21-6-3 NCHA Champions
1989-90 Bemidji State 15-11-2
1988-89 Bemidji State 19-3-4
1987-88 Bemidji State 25-10-3
1986-87 Bemidji State 22-12-1 NCHA Champions
1985-86 Bemidji State 25-9-1 NCAA III National Champions
1984-85 Bemidji State 27-6-2 NCHA Champions
1983-84 Bemidji State 31-0-0 NCAA II National Champions, NCHA Champions
1982-83* Sabbatical 30-6-1 *Mike Gibbons coach, NCHA Champions
1981-82 Bemidji State 25-5-1 NCHA Champions
1980-81 Bemidji State 24-7-0
1979-80 Bemidji State 24-8-0 NAIA National Champions
1978-79 Bemidji State 27-2-0 NAIA National Champions
1977-78 Bemidji State 25-5-1 ICHA Champions
1976-77 Bemidji State 24-4-3 ICHA Champions
1975-76 Bemidji State 22-9-0 ICHA Champions
1974-75 Bemidji State 13-15-0
1973-74 Bemidji State 20-10-1 ICHA Champions
1972-73 Bemidji State 23-6-1 NAIA National Champions, ICHA Champions
1971-72 Bemidji State 13-12-1
1970-71 Bemidji State 20-7-1 NAIA National Champions, ICHA Champions
1969-70 Bemidji State 24-3-0 NAIA National Champions, ICHA Champions
1968-69 Bemidji State 23-2-0 NAIA National Champions, ICHA Champions
1967-68 Bemidji State 16-8-0 NAIA National Champions
1966-67 Bemidji State 13-5-1
1965-66 North Dakota 17-12-1
1964-65 North Dakota 25-8-0 NCAA I Finals
Totals at Bemidji State only 686-247-45
Career Totals 728-267-47
NATIONAL TITLES
NAIA- 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1979, 1980
NCAA II- 1984, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997
NCAA III- 1986
COACHING HONORS
NCAA III Coach of the Year - 1985-86
NCAA II West Coach of the Year - 1983-84
WCHA Coach of the Year - 1964-65
NAIA Coach of the Year - 1973-74, 1979-80
NCHA Coach of the Year - 1981-82, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1985-86, 1990-91
AHCA Ed Jeremiah Award - 1983-84
AHCA John MacInnes Award - 1994-95