Information Provided By Bentley Sports Information


WALTHAM, Mass. – Following 30 years at the helm and 33 years on the coaching staff, Peter Yetten has announced his retirement as head football coach at Bentley University, effective immediately.

Yetten, who inherited a fledgling club program in 1979, finished his career with 225 wins overall and a New England Division II record 154 victories since the program was elevated to varsity status prior to the 1988 season. His overall career record of 225-81-2 included 154-60-1 in 21 varsity seasons.

“His record speaks for itself,” said Bentley athletic director Bob DeFelice. “We are where we are in football because of Peter’s persistence, perseverance and commitment. He took the program from club football to one that has earned two NCAA Division II playoff berths and been in contention other years.”

Yetten came to Bentley as an assistant coach in 1976 and was promoted to head coach three years later. His nine seasons as head coach at the club level included a 71-21-1 record, two undefeated regular seasons, a pair of National Club Football Association playoff titles (1982, 1983) and a New England Collegiate Football Conference playoff championship in 1987.

The success carried over into the varsity ranks, first at the Division III level and then as a Division II program.

Bentley, under Yetten’s tutelage, posted the longest winning streak by any New England football team during the 1900’s, a 30-game stretch from Sept. 10, 1993 to Nov. 4, 1995. Included were records of 10-0 in 1993 and 11-0 in 1994. The Falcons also won 38 consecutive regular season contests from Sept. 25, 1992 to Nov. 4, 1995.

From 2002-05, Yetten directed the Falcons to a four-year regular season record of 35-5. His 2003 team captured its first-ever Northeast-10 Conference championship, finished the regular season unbeaten for the first time since 1994, was ranked 21st in the final AFCA Division II poll, and made its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs, hosting two-time defending national champion Grand Valley State in the first round.

A year later, Bentley won eight of nine regular season games and earned a second straight NCAA Division II tournament berth.

Yetten’s lengthy resume features induction into the Bentley Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. Amongst the organizations that have recognized him with Coach of the Year honors are the Northeast-10, the New England Football Writers, the Gridiron Club of Boston, the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference and the ECAC Intercollegiate Football Conference.

Yetten received the Contribution to Amateur Football Award from the Eastern Massachusetts chapter of the National Football Foundation in 2006 and the Murray Lewis Award from the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Football Officials in 2007.